Williams sisters, Wawrinka receive US Open wildcards

Tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams will reunite for women's doubles at the 2026 U.S. Open, while former champion Stan Wawrinka has secured a wildcard entry into the men's singles draw, tournament organizers announced on August 27. The decisions add significant star power to the year's final Grand Slam, which begins at Flushing Meadows in New York on September 3.

The Williams sisters, who have won the U.S. Open doubles title twice, will compete together for the first time at a major since 2022. Serena, 44, returned to the sport this summer after nearly four years away, making her comeback at the Queen's Club Championships in London in June. She later received a singles wildcard at Wimbledon, where she lost in three sets to Maya Joint. During that tournament, she suffered a knee injury that she described as a "traumatic experience," noting a long recovery. Despite the setback, she has shown flashes of her former ability, including hitting a 120 mph ace during mixed doubles matches with Carlos Alcaraz at the U.S. Open this week. The pair reached the quarterfinals before losing to Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli. Venus, 46, has continued to compete on the WTA Tour and...