NEW YORK – Venus Williams’ comeback will head to the U.S. Open next month, when she will enter the redesigned hybrid doubles tournament with Reilly Opelka via a universal card.
The 45-year-old Williams returned to the Tennis Tour last week after more than a year, Opelka, the 14 team announced by the American Tennis Association on Tuesday, a mixed doubles match held on August 19-20.
Eight pairs entered the venue directly based on the current singles’ highest ranking, and USTA gave six pairs.
Players who have a place in brackets include nine players who have won at least one Grand Slam singles title and 14 players who are in the top 10 in the WTA or singles.
The eight-pair duo that went straight into was No. 11 Emma Navarro and Jannik Sinner; No. 10 Paula Badosa and No. 5 Jack Draper; No. 3 Iga Swiatek and No. 13 Casper Ruud; Elena Rybakina ranked No. 12 and Taylor Fritz ranked No. 4; No. 7 Amanda Anisimova and No. 9 Holger Rune; No. 9 Belinda Bencic and Alexander Zverev third; Jessica Pegula and No. 15 Tommy Paul; No. 5 Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev No. 14.
Badosa initially seeks a place on the court with Stefanos Tsitsipas, while Draper will initially play with Zheng Qinwen.
In addition to Williams-Opelka, wildcard participants are Emma Raducanu and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz; No. 8 Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe; Olga Danilovic and No. 6 Novak Djokovic; Taylor Townsend and Ben Shelton ranked 7th; last year, U.S. mixed doubles champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
A total of 16 duos will compete for the highest award of $1 million; the last two wildcard pairs will be known later.
Williams still has the potential to ask for singles wildcard entries. It is expected to be announced by the USTA on August 11.
She has won a race at the DC Open Open in Washington since the March 2024 Miami Open.
Williams has seven Grand Slam titles in singles and 14 in women’s doubles – all winning with her sister Serena – while two mixed doubles.
