US Open 2026: Why does Venus Williams get so many wildcards?
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'A generational icon' - why wildcards abound for Venus Williams
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Venus Williams last won a singles match in July 2025
By Russell Fuller, Tennis correspondent in New York
Published 1 hour ago
Venus Williams, a five-time Wimbledon champion and tennis icon, has been playing professionally for nearly 30 years. Yet, her last 14 singles matches have all ended in defeat, with a world ranking of 611. This has led to a reliance on wildcards to compete in tournaments, including the upcoming US Open.
She has received 11 wildcards this season and will have a 12th offered by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for the US Open, where she will face fellow Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin.
The practice of offering wildcards to past champions like Williams is not uncommon, despite some questioning if it's too many, given her lack of recent wins. However, there is no limit to the number of wildcards a Grand Slam champion can receive, and many tournaments still find commercial value in having a Williams sister participate.
"I think it's good for tennis to have these generational icons," said Karl Hale, tournament director who offered Williams a wildcard for this month's WTA 1000 event in Toronto. "That they are still allocating wildcards for them says something to their intrinsic value to the tournaments."
Venus Williams' last major singles win was at Wimbledon in 2021, and her most recent victory overall was against Peyton Stearns in Washington last July. Despite this, tournament directors worldwide have shown a desire to have her compete, with wildcards allocated not only in the US but also in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany, and Canada.
With eight wildcards available for each Grand Slam singles draw, and between four to eight at WTA and ATP events, depending on field size, her popularity and legacy remain significant draws.
"The way we looked at Venus is that her legacy is phenomenal," Hale shared. "She's done so much for the sport and is really popular here in Toronto and our markets specifically - so we thought it was really good to announce it early that we have a Williams sister coming."
Hale highlighted the media interest and ticket sales boost that having a Williams sister at the tournament brings, with her opening day match adding notable star power to the beginning of the event.
"Venus played opening day. She kicked off our tournament, so it added a lot of value," Hale concluded.