Venus Williams to make 25th US Open singles appearance with wildcard

Venus Williams will return to the US Open singles draw at age 45 after receiving a wildcard, guaranteeing the seven-time major champion a 25th main-draw appearance at her home slam. The decision will make her the oldest singles player to compete at Flushing Meadows since 1981, and it comes as Williams resumes a comeback from a 16-month layoff that began with surgery to remove uterine fibroids last year. Williams will also join the revamped mixed doubles field with American Reilly Opelka, adding another chapter to a week that already places the spotlight on the sport’s enduring legend.

Williams returned to competition in July at the Citi Open in Washington, where she beat Peyton Stearns in her first match back and then fell to Magdalena Frech. The Washington performance helped propel her to a Washington triumph and established her as the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match in more than two decades. Her subsequent efforts at Cincinnati were less successful, but they did not dampen the optimism surrounding her US Open bid. In remarks made in the lead-up to the tournament, Williams underscored the motivation behind her comeback, saying she was driven by her love for the...