Venus Williams Gets a US Open Wild Card at Age 45 and Will Be the Oldest in Singles Since 1981

August 14, 2025

Venus Williams, 45, has received a wild-card invitation to compete in singles at the U.S. Open, making her the oldest singles entrant since Renee Richards in 1981. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion will be returning to major tournament play after a two-year absence from Grand Slam tennis, having last played at the 2023 U.S. Open where she lost in the first round. Williams, who recently returned to competitive tennis at the DC Open after a 16-month absence following surgery to remove uterine fibroids, has also received a wild-card entry for the mixed doubles competition with American player Reilly Opelka.

Who is affected

Venus Williams
U.S. Tennis Association (organizer providing the wild card)
Tennis fans and spectators at the U.S. Open
Other wild card recipients (including Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman, Alyssa Ahn, Caroline Garcia, Talia Gibson, and male recipients)
Reilly Opelka (Williams' mixed doubles partner)

What action is being taken

The U.S. Tennis Association is giving Venus Williams a wild-card invitation to compete in singles at the U.S. Open
Williams is participating in mixed doubles competition with Reilly Opelka
Williams is making her return to competitive tennis after surgery and a 16-month absence
The U.S. Open is distributing wild cards to several other players for the tournament
Singles matches are beginning in New York on August 24

Why it matters

Williams will be the oldest entrant in singles at the tournament since Renee Richards was 47 in 1981
This marks Williams' return to Grand Slam tennis after a two-year absence
Williams is a tennis legend with seven major singles championships (including U.S. Open titles in 2000 and 2001) and multiple doubles championships
Williams recently made history by becoming the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova in 2004
Her comeback has drawn significant attention both for her tennis and personal developments

What's next

Williams will compete in the August 19-20 mixed doubles tournament with Reilly Opelka
Singles matches at the U.S. Open will begin on August 24
No explicit next steps stated in the article beyond her upcoming tournament participation

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint