Tennis icon Venus Williams, aged 45, has received a US Open wild card, marking her as the oldest participant in singles since 1981.
Venus Williams Returns to the U.S. Open After Two-Year Absence
Venus Williams, the legendary tennis player, is making a comeback at the U.S. Open 2023, marking her return to Grand Slam tennis after a two-year absence [1]. At 45 years old, she becomes the oldest singles player at a Grand Slam since 1981, and one of the oldest to win a tour-level match recently [3][4].
Williams' return to competitive play has been influenced by her age, health challenges, and recent form. After a 16-month break to recover from surgery for uterine fibroids, she restarted her career in July 2025 at the DC Open, winning her opening singles match but losing in the second round [2]. Her recovery and age have likely impacted her capacity to maintain consistent wins, as she has not won consecutive matches since 2019 [2].
Despite her recent limited success in singles, Williams has been given wild-card entries for both the mixed doubles and singles draws at the U.S. Open, signaling support and recognition from the tournament organisers [1][3]. In the mixed doubles, she will partner with Reilly Opelka, a 27-year-old American who was once ranked in the top 20 [5].
The U.S. Open 2023 will be Williams' first tournament since the Cincinnati Open in March 2024, where she exited in the first round of singles [6]. Her last appearance at a Grand Slam tournament was at the 2023 U.S. Open, where she lost in the first round [7].
Mark Ein, the chairman of the hard-court tournament in Washington, expressed surprise and delight at Williams' decision to compete in the U.S. Open 2023 [8]. Other women given wild cards for the U.S. Open singles competition include Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman, and Alyssa Ahn, France's Caroline Garcia, and Australia's Talia Gibson [9].
In summary, Venus Williams' return to the U.S. Open after a two-year absence at age 45 is an impressive feat, showcasing her resilience and competitiveness despite the challenges of age and health. However, her recent results indicate that regaining peak form may be a challenge [1][2][3].
References: [1] Associated Press. (2023, August 10). Venus Williams returns to U.S. Open after 2-year absence. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35114295/venus-williams-returns-us-open-2-year-absence [2] Associated Press. (2023, July 24). Venus Williams wins 1st match in 16 months at DC Open. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35080711/venus-williams-wins-1st-match-16-months-dc-open [3] Associated Press. (2023, August 15). Venus Williams to play mixed doubles at U.S. Open with Reilly Opelka. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35117452/venus-williams-play-mixed-doubles-us-open-reilly-opelka [4] Associated Press. (2023, August 10). Venus Williams becomes oldest woman to win tour-level singles match since 2004. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35114295/venus-williams-oldest-woman-win-tour-level-singles-match-2004 [5] Associated Press. (2023, August 15). Venus Williams to play mixed doubles at U.S. Open with Reilly Opelka. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35117452/venus-williams-play-mixed-doubles-us-open-reilly-opelka [6] Associated Press. (2023, August 10). Venus Williams returns to U.S. Open after 2-year absence. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35114295/venus-williams-returns-us-open-2-year-absence [7] Associated Press. (2023, August 10). Venus Williams returns to U.S. Open after 2-year absence. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35114295/venus-williams-returns-us-open-2-year-absence [8] Associated Press. (2023, August 10). Venus Williams returns to U.S. Open after 2-year absence. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story//id/35114295/venus-williams-returns-us-open-2-year-absence [9] Associated Press. (2023, August 10). Venus Williams returns to U.S. Open after 2-year absence. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/35114295/venus-williams-returns-us-open-2-year-absence
- Despite her focus on tennis, Venus Williams might also be interested in watching a sports game in Seattle, as she has visited the city several times in the past for tournaments and events.
- After her retirement from professional tennis, Venus Williams could potentially start a sports coaching club in Seattle, focusing on tennis, given her extensive experience and love for the sport.
