Venus Williams isn't done with New York just yet. The USTA on Tuesday awarded the 46-year-old a 2026 US Open wildcard entry into the women's singles main draw, sparing her a trip through qualifying and lining up another Grand Slam appearance for one of the sport's most decorated US players.
Venus Williams Returns to 2026 US Open Main Draw
Williams's season has been sparse in wins but steady in tournament entries. She opened the year with a first-round loss to Olga Danilovic at the Australian Open. Then, she resurfaced this month in Washington and Cincinnati.
Just a day before the wildcard news, she and sister Serena Williams reunited in doubles at the Cincinnati Open, only to fall in a three-set opener to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.
The news of Venus's wildcard entry has also drawn questions about the status of Serena's 2026 US Open run.
Serena Williams in Line for Final 2026 US Open Wildcard
One women's singles wildcard has yet to be announced, and Serena, 44, remains a plausible candidate after ending a four-year retirement this summer with a first-round Wimbledon loss to Maya Joint.
Doubles wildcards for Flushing Meadows are also unfinalized, keeping a sisters reunion in Queens very much in play.
Sloane Stephens and Gael Monfils rounded out the other early singles wildcard announcements.
