Venus Williams will return to the US Open as a singles competitor after receiving a wild card from the United States Tennis Association.
The 46-year-old Williams is a two-time winner at Flushing Meadows. She also received a wild card spot last year and lost in the first round 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 to Karolina Muchova. Williams returned to singles competition at the 2025 D.C. Open but has yet to win, losing all 13 of her matches since then.
The USTA announced both the men's and women's wild card entries and those entered in the qualifying tournament, which starts on Aug. 24. The main singles draw will begin Aug. 30. Also entered into the wild card is 2017 US Open women’s singles champion Sloane Stephens. Stephens is currently competing in the Cincinnati Masters tournament.
One name not yet on the list is Serena Williams, but there is one unassigned wild card spot, so it's possible the six-time US Open and 23-time Grand Slam champion could still compete.
Among the men's wild card recipients are Gael Monfils, who has already announced that the 2026 season will be his last year on the ATP tour.
Women's wild card entries
- Venus Williams, 46, seven-time Grand Slam and two-time US Open women’s singles champion
- Sloane Stephens, 33, 2017 US Open women’s singles champion
- Carol Young Suh Lee, 24, US Open Wild Card Challenge Winner
- Reese Brantmeier, 21, American Collegiate Player Wild Card Playoff Winner
- Thea Frodin, 17, USTA Girls’ 18s National Champion
- Leolia Jeanjean, 31, awarded via reciprocal agreement with FFT
- Taylah Preston, 20, awarded via reciprocal agreement with Tennis Australia
- To be announced
Men's wild card entries
- Martin Damm, 22, current world No. 94
- Michael Zheng, 22, two-time reigning NCAA men’s singles champion
- J.J. Wolf, 27, US Open Wild Card Challenge Winner
- Sebastian Gorzny, 22, American Collegiate Player Wild Card Playoff Winner
- Jack Kennedy, 18, USTA Boys’ 18s National Champion
- Gael Monfils, 39, awarded via reciprocal agreement with the French Tennis Federation
- Alexei Popyrin, 27, awarded via reciprocal agreement with Tennis Australia
- To be announced
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Venus Williams headed back to US Open with wild card entry