Venus Williams, 46, Receives US Open Wildcard

A wildcard is a discretionary invitation that allows a player into the main draw without qualifying or holding a sufficiently high ranking. Organisers often use these places to showcase celebrated names, and few names carry more weight than Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion. Her recent form, however, has been poor: she has lost all ten of her singles matches this season and has not won a match at a major since Wimbledon in 2021. Williams has also managed serious health conditions, including Sjogren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease diagnosed in 2011, and painful uterine fibroids. This week she partnered Serena in doubles at the Cincinnati Open, their first tournament together since 2022, and the sisters played before packed stands despite a narrow defeat.

The decision has divided tennis fans. Critics argued on social media that the place should have gone to a rising young player, with some describing the choice as a waste of a valuable opportunity. Others point out that the Williams sisters still attract enormous crowds, with stands packed for their recent return in Cincinnati. On the men's side, France's Gael Monfils received a wildcard for the final Grand Slam tournament of his career, and 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka could claim the one remaining men's place. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) appears to be holding the last women's wildcard open for Serena, who must now decide whether she is ready to return to Grand Slam singles before the main draw begins on 30 August.