Former Champion Williams, 45, Gets Us Open Wildcard

Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams is group to go nan oldest subordinate astatine a awesome successful 44 years aft being fixed a US Open wildcard.

Williams, 45, returned to nan athletics successful July, winning her first-round lucifer astatine nan Washington Open connected her first quality successful 16 months, earlier going retired successful information two.

Victory complete chap American Peyton Stearns meant Williams go nan oldest subordinate to triumph a WTA Tour singles lucifer successful much than 21 years.

Now nan erstwhile world number 1 will look erstwhile again astatine Flushing Meadows successful New York, wherever she won 2 of her Grand Slam titles, successful 2000 and 2001.

Williams is group to go nan oldest subordinate to compete successful singles astatine nan US Open since 47-year-old Renee Richards successful 1981.

It will beryllium 577th-ranked Williams’ first quality astatine 1 of nan sport’s 4 fields since nan 2023 US Open, wherever she mislaid successful nan first round.

Williams will besides play successful nan revamped mixed doubles alongside chap American Reilly Opelka.

At nan commencement of this year, galore wondered erstwhile Venus Williams would denote her retirement.

Now she is group to grace her location Grand Slam tourney for a record-extending 25th time.

Earlier this season, Williams became considered an inactive player, having gone a full twelvemonth without competing.

Then, retired of obscurity arsenic nan eyes of nan tennis world were trained connected Wimbledon, she announced she was fresh to play successful Washington.

It begged 2 evident questions. Why? And why now?

Williams put nan timing of her return down to her emotion for nan crippled and her emotion of nan difficult courts.

That shone done erstwhile she arrived successful nan US capital.

Williams had often been curt and closed erstwhile speaking to nan media, but said warmly and openly successful her first pre-tournament news conference.

Hitting "big" - nan marque of tennis pinch which she emerged arsenic a superstar successful nan precocious 1990s and early 2000s - was still her plan.

Williams proved she still had that expertise arsenic she swept speech Stearns.

While she mislaid successful nan adjacent information to 5th seed Magdalena Frech, and was besides beaten by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro successful nan Cincinnati first round, they were competitory capable to gain her a US Open wildcard.

Some will reason giving a spot successful nan 128-player tie to a seasoned pinch 1 triumph successful much than 2 years blocks nan improvement of a younger player.

Others will opportunity an all-time awesome should ever beryllium offered nan chance to play.

Could it beryllium nan cleanable spot to discontinue and person a glitzy farewell for illustration her younger sister Serena did successful 2022?