NEW YORK — Venus Williams will make her return to Grand Slam tennis at the U.S. Open after a two-year absence, having received a wild-card invitation Wednesday to compete in singles at Flushing Meadows at age 45.
The American will be the oldest entrant in singles at the hard-court major tournament since Renee Richards was 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation.
Williams already had been given a wild-card entry by the U.S. Tennis Association for next week’s mixed doubles competition. Singles matches begin in New York on Aug. 24.
She is the owner of seven major singles championships — including at the U.S. Open in 2000 and 2001 — along with another 14 in women’s doubles, all won with her younger sister, Serena, plus two in mixed doubles. Serena retired with 23 Grand Slam singles trophies after playing at the 2022 U.S. Open.
The older Williams last participated in a Grand Slam tournament at the 2023 U.S. Open, losing in the first round. She hasn’t won a singles match there since 2019.