Tennis superstar Venus Williams is set to mark a remarkable return to the U.S. Open after a 2-year absence, receiving a wild-card invitation to the Flushing Meadows. The 45-year-old will become the oldest singles entrant at the grand stage, since American Renée Richards, who competed at the age of 47 back in 1981, as reported by the International Tennis Federation(ITF).
Williams, a grass court-queen, with a total of seven Grand Slam titles and five Olympic medals to her name, last took part in the U.S. Open Singles in 2023, where she lost in the first round to Belgium’s Greet Minnen. She had already been granted a wild-card for next week’s mixed doubles competition, where she will pair with compatriot Reilly Opelka, a 27-year-old American. Singles matches at the U.S. Open begin on August 24.
The legend returned to competitive play in July at the D.C. Open after a 16-month break due to health concerns, where she underwent surgery for uterine fibroids. With her win in the first round against 23-year-old American Peyton Stearns, Williams became the oldest player to win a WTA tour-level singles match since 47-year-old Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon 2004. Later, she competed at the Cincinnati Open, where she faced first-round defeat against youngster Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
Venus’s career is marked by a list of glorious achievements. She graced the tennis world with her debut in 1994 and Grand Slam debut in 1997 at the Roland Garros. Her first major singles title came at Wimbledon in 2000, where she became the first Black woman to do so since Althea Gibson in 1956. Alongside her younger sister, Serena Williams, who is now 43, the duo has claimed 14 women’s doubles Grand Slam titles and has remained undefeated in doubles. Besides this, the older Williams also won two mixed doubles titles, five Wimbledon singles titles, two U.S. Open singles titles, four Olympic gold medals and a silver medal.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Venus reflected on her journey and impact on the sport: “As a young person, I wanted to play the game, be a champion. I loved the game so much, I did not realise it would be so much bigger than myself”. The Williams sisters provided inspiration to a whole new generation of young Black women taking up tennis as a professional career.
Other women receiving wild-card entries into this year’s U.S. Open singles draw besides Williams include Americans Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Clervie Ngounoue, Alyssa Ahn, and Valerie Glozman, France’s Caroline Garcia, probably making her last U.S. Open appearance before retirement, and Australia’s Talia Gibson.
Williams’ return to the court is a testament to her grit, determination and sporting spirit. With her wild-card entry, she remains an inspiration to fans and athletes worldwide, ultimately proving that age is no barrier to excelling in sports at the highest competitive level.
For more such news related to Women’s Tennis, click here.
Yash Desai is a renowned journalist with over 10+ years of experience covering sports around the world. He began his career as a News Reporter in Delhi, India, and got an opportunity to cover several World events, including the Olympics, Paralympics, and World Games. He often felt that women’s sports are sidelined and given step-motherly treatment by the mainstream media. To bridge this gap and to build an equal playing field, Yash co-founded FemaleInSports and is currently working as a Lead Editor here.
