Awaits a volley during the first round match between Venus Williams (USA) and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) in the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. Bouzas Maneiro won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

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Venus Williams Granted US Open 2025 Wildcard in Historic Return to Flushing Meadows

Venus Williams makes a historic wild card return to the 2025 US Open at 45.

Venus Williams will make history later this month after receiving a wildcard into the 2025 US Open singles main draw. The 45-year-old American legend, a former world No. 1 and two-time US Open champion, will become the oldest singles competitor at the tournament since Renee Richards, who was 47 in 1981. She will also team up with fellow American Reilly Opelka in mixed doubles. This will be Williams’ 25th appearance in New York, where the main draw runs from August 24 to September 7 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Venus Williams has received a wildcard to play singles at the U.S. Open.

2-time champion.

45 years old, still giving to the game she loves.

Always an honor to watch Queen Vee.

🇺🇸❤️ pic.twitter.com/TYpYZ9BuIy
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 13, 2025

Williams Prepares for Another US Open Battle

Williams’ return caps a remarkable comeback year. In July, she ended a 16-month layoff at the DC Open, earning her first singles win in two years. That victory made her the oldest player to win a singles match on the WTA Tour since Martina Navratilova’s 2004 Wimbledon first-round win at age 47. Her run in Washington ended in the next round against world No. 24 Magdalena Frech, 6-2, 6-2.

Williams’ resume speaks for itself with seven Grand Slam singles titles, including back-to-back US Open wins in 2000 and 2001, 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Serena, and two mixed doubles majors. She last won back-to-back singles matches in 2019 but brings unmatched experience to the field, with 91 Grand Slam main-draw appearances.

Wild card spots secured for these 8⃣ women! pic.twitter.com/Ry24Uf0HNK
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 13, 2025

Currently ranked No. 654 after being listed as inactive on the WTA website until last month, Williams last played the US Open in 2023, falling in the first round. This time, she joins a women’s singles wildcard group that includes France’s Caroline Garcia, Australia’s Talia Gibson, and Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman, and Alyssa Ahn.

Venus Williams is back in the US Open and is set to become the oldest player to compete in singles since Renee Richards (47) in 1981. pic.twitter.com/gZ2L5m4sFU
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 13, 2025

While a deep run would defy the odds, Williams’ presence ensures an electric start to the fortnight. For the fans at Flushing Meadows, her return is more than a nostalgia trip. It’s another chapter in a career defined by longevity and an enduring love for tennis.

Image Credits: Imagn Images

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Rudra Dubey

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.