Venus Williams gets a US Open singles wild card at 46

NEW YORK — Venus Williams was given a US Open singles wild card on Tuesday and the tournament is keeping one on hold — perhaps in case her sister Serena wants to join her.

Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, was one of six other women to receive a wild card, and the US Tennis Association said the final one is still to be announced.

That almost certainly would go to Serena Williams, if she decides she wants to return to the tournament at 44.

Last year, Venus Williams received a wild card to the Grand Slam event she won twice, returning for the first time since 2023. The 46-year-old has become the oldest entrant in singles at the tournament since Renee Richards played at 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation.

Venus has continued to play some singles matches, and this week joined Serena for their first doubles tournament together since the 2022 US Open. They lost Monday at the Cincinnati Open in a match tiebreaker against Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.

The sisters planned to play at Wimbledon, but had to withdraw after Serena injured her knee in her singles match. That marked her first time playing singles since the 2022 US Open, and she indicated afterward that she hoped to keep competing if healthy.

Headlining the wild-card recipients on the men's side were 39-year-old Gael Monfils, a past US Open semifinalist who is set to play his final Grand Slam tournament before retiring, and Australian Alexei Popyrin, who upset Novak Djokovic in 2024 on the way to the fourth round.

One spot is also being held among the eight men's wild cards. Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 champion at Flushing Meadows who, at 41, is playing his final season, could be a candidate for that.

Also receiving women's wild cards were Carol Young Suh Lee, Reese Brantmeier, Thea Frodin, Leolia Jeanjean and Taylah Preston.

The other men receiving wild cards were two-time reigning NCAA singles champion Michael Zheng, Martin Damm, J. J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny and Jack Kennedy.

Kei Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runner-up, who also is retiring, was given 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.

Women given spots in the qualifying tournament were Caroline Dolehide, Janae Preston, Katrina Scott, Ayana Akli, Annika Penickova, Julieta Pareja, Kristina Penickova and Savannah Broadus.

The main draw begins Aug 30, with the qualifying tournaments being played earlier that week.

Doubles loss

The Williams sisters both said they had a good time on their return to doubles action for the first time since 2022, despite suffering an opening-round defeat in Cincinnati.

The duo lost 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 to Ukraine's Kostyuk and American Stearns, coming back from 6-0 down in the tiebreaker before a double fault by Venus sealed their fate.

"I thought it was fun, I thought it was special, I thought it was good," Serena, 44, told reporters.

"We kicked off a little rust in the middle of the match. We were starting to feel it, and it was really fun. It was really cool to be able to do this again."

The Williams sisters have won 14 major doubles titles, including six at Wimbledon and three Olympic gold medals.

They last played doubles together at the 2022 US Open, where they lost to Czechs Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova.

The sisters were also due to compete in the doubles draw at Wimbledon, but were forced to pull out after Serena sustained a knee injury during her opening-round singles defeat to Australian Maya Joint. They were awarded a wild card for Cincinnati earlier this month.

"I think we've waited a long time to get back on the doubles court, even this year. Eventually, we find our way to each other," Venus, 46, added.

Venus also competed in the singles draw in Cincinnati, where she was beaten 6-2, 6-2 by Colombian Emiliana Arango.

AP