Veteran tennis star Venus Williams, now 46, was granted a singles wild card for the 2026 U.S. Open, announced Tuesday by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). The decision makes her the oldest player to enter the main draw since Renee Richards competed at age 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation.
Wild‑card lineup and the possibility for Serena
Williams joins five other women who received wild cards this year. Former champion Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open winner, is among the recipients, along with Carol Young Suh Lee, Reese Brantmeier, Thea Frodin, Leolia Jeanjean and Taylah Preston. The USTA indicated that one additional women’s wild card remains unfilled and is likely to be offered to Serena Williams, who is 44 and has not yet confirmed her intention to return to the tournament.
Recent doubles play and future plans
Venus and Serena recently teamed up for the Cincinnati Open, marking their first doubles partnership since the 2022 U.S. Open. The sisters fell in a match tiebreaker to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns. Both had hoped to compete together at Wimbledon, but Serena withdrew after sustaining a knee injury in her singles match, her first singles appearance since the 2022 U.S. Open. She said she hopes to continue competing if her health permits.
Men’s wild cards and other entries
On the men’s side, the USTA announced 39‑year‑old Gaël Monfils as a wild‑card entrant; he plans to make this his final Grand Slam before retirement. Australian Alexei Popyrin, who upset Novak Djokovic in 2024, also received a wild card. An additional men’s spot is being held, with former champion Stan Wawrinka, now 41, mentioned as a possible candidate.
Other male wild‑card recipients include two‑time NCAA singles champion Michael Zheng, Martin Damm, J.J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny and Jack Kennedy. Former U.S. Open runner‑up Kei Nishikori, who is also retiring, earned a wild card into the men’s qualifying tournament, along with Jordan Lee, Trevor Svajda, Andre Ilagan, Spencer Johnson, Michael Antonius, Andrew Johnson and Daniel Milavsky.
Qualifying draws and tournament start
The qualifying tournaments will be held the week before the main draw, which begins on August 30. Women entering the qualifying draw include Caroline Dolehide, Janae Preston, Katrina Scott, Ayana Akli, Annika Penickova, Julieta Pareja, Kristina Penickova and Savannah Broadus.
With Venus Williams returning to singles competition at an age few have seen at a Grand Slam, and the potential for Serena’s comeback still undecided, the 2026 U.S. Open promises a blend of veteran experience and emerging talent. Fans will watch closely to see whether the Williams sisters will share the court again, and how the wild‑card selections shape the tournament’s early rounds.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
