Venus Williams is aiming to become the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam match since Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 2004.
Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus Williams is poised to become the oldest player to compete at a major tournament in 44 years, having received a wildcard entry into the US Open.
Williams, 45, made her return to professional tennis in July, securing a first-round victory at the Washington Open in her first appearance in 16 months before being eliminated in the second round.
The win against fellow American Peyton Stearns marked Williams as the oldest player to win a WTA Tour singles match in over 21 years.
The former world number one is now set to compete once again at Flushing Meadows in New York, where she previously won two of her Grand Slam titles in 2000 and 2001.
Williams is slated to become the oldest player to participate in singles competition at the US Open since 47-year-old Renee Richards in 1981.
This will be Williams’ first appearance at one of the sport’s four majors since the 2023 US Open, where she faced a first-round defeat. Williams is currently ranked 577th in the world.
Williams is also scheduled to compete in the mixed doubles event alongside fellow American Reilly Opelka.
At the beginning of the year, many speculated about a potential retirement announcement from Venus Williams.
Now, she is prepared to grace her home Grand Slam tournament for a record-extending 25th time.
Earlier in the season, Williams was classified as an inactive player after a year-long absence from competition.
Then, as the tennis world focused on Wimbledon, she surprised many by announcing her readiness to play in Washington.
This raised two key questions: Why, and why now?
Williams cited her passion for the game and her affinity for hard courts as the reasons for her return.
That passion was evident upon her arrival in the U.S. capital.
In contrast to her often reserved demeanor with the media, Williams spoke openly and warmly during her first pre-tournament press conference.
Her plan was to hit “big,” mirroring the brand of tennis that propelled her to superstardom in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Williams demonstrated that she still possessed that ability in her victory over Stearns.
Although she lost in the subsequent round to fifth seed Magdalena Frech, and was also defeated by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round in Cincinnati, her performances were competitive enough to earn her a US Open wildcard.
Some may argue that allocating a spot in the 128-player draw to a veteran with only one victory in over two years hinders the progress of younger players.
Others will contend that an all-time great should always be given the opportunity to compete.
Could this be the ideal venue for her to retire and have a glamorous farewell, similar to her younger sister Serena in 2022?
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