Williams Given Us Open Doubles Wildcard With Fernandez

Venus Williams will compete successful nan women's doubles astatine nan US Open aft being awarded a wildcard pinch Canada's Leylah Fernandez.

At nan property of 45, Williams returned to her location Grand Slam tourney for a record-extending 25th clip earlier this week.

She exited nan singles successful a gallant first-round conclusion by Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova connected Monday but will return to nan Flushing Meadows courts pinch Fernandez, 23 years her junior.

They will look nan sixth seeds - Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Australian Ellen Perez - successful nan first round.

Williams won nan US Open doubles title successful 1999 and 2009, some pinch younger sister Serena.

Earlier connected Tuesday, Serena paid tribute to her related connected societal media, penning connected Instagram: "Strength, courage, determination, class, perseverance, inspiration… there's not capable words to picture really proud I americium of you.

"P.S. I dream to beryllium for illustration you."

Earlier this season, erstwhile world number 1 Williams was officially 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 again astatine nan Washington Open.

Williams hit 35th-ranked Peyton Stearns connected her comeback successful Washington, whetting her appetite for much competitory action.

Despite an opening conclusion successful Cincinnati, Williams received a wildcard for nan US Open singles, successful which she is besides a two-time champion.

After her 6-3 2-6 6-1 conclusion by Muchova, she formed an affectional fig arsenic she reflected connected really she has battled backmost from superior wellness issues to push nan world's champion players to their limit - against nan odds.

In 2011, Williams was diagnosed pinch Sjogren's syndrome, an incurable autoimmune illness pinch symptoms including pain, numbness and fatigue.

Last month, she revealed really she had besides been affected by nan severity of achy fibroids - abnormal growths that create successful nan uterus.

Fernandez, 22, is seeded 31st successful nan women's singles successful New York and hit compatriot Rebecca Marino 6-2 6-1 successful nan first round.

She reached nan singles last successful 2021, wherever she vanished runner-up to Britain's Emma Raducanu.