Venus Williams set to make US Open comeback at 45 after two-year absence
tennis
legend Venus Williams has been granted a wildcard entry into this year's
US Open
, ending a two-year absence from Flushing Meadows for the 45-year-old.
The 2000 and 2001 US Open champion, who also has five Wimbledon titles to her name, will be the oldest competitor in the women's singles since 1981 when a 47-year-old Renee Richards lost in the first round.
The US Tennis Association had already given Williams a wildcard entry to next week's revamped mixed doubles competition, but now she will play both, with the singles set to start on August 24.
Williams has not won a singles match at Flushing Meadows since 2019, and has only just made a return to the sport after having a year off.
She won a match at the DC Open before losing in the first round in Cincinnati last week.
'Coming off of this match, I feel amazing,' Williams said after the loss in Cincinnati.
'So that means that in this next period I won't have to fix injuries. Now I can work on power and speed instead of trying to just make sure I'm not hurt going into the tournament.'
Meantime emerging Aussie talents Tristan Schoolkate and Talia Gibson have been rewarded for breakout years with wildcards into the main draw of the US Open, bringing the Australian tally to 14.
The final major of the year gets underway on Sunday, August 24 (local time), with qualifying starting next Monday.
But the young guns can skip that phase after getting direct entry into the New York City tournament, with world No.8 Alex de Minaur leading the Australian charge.
West Australian Schoolkate broke into the ATP top 100 for the first time last week following a string of strong results, including a stand-out victory over world No.47 Joao Fonseca at the Toronto Masters — his first win over a top-50 opponent.
Now ranked 97, the 24-year-old just missed direct entry, ranked No.110 at the July 14 entry deadline.
Reaching the second round of the 2024 US Open, Schoolkate also made three Challenger finals this season, claiming titles in Brisbane and Ilkley, UK.
'It's such an amazing experience to play in the main draws of the grand slams — it's what we as players work towards, week in, week out so I'm excited and ready for the challenge in New York,' Schoolkate said.
Gibson, 21, has also enjoyed a breakthrough year, peaking at world No.107 last month.
Also from WA, Gibson recently captured her 10th ITF singles title at the W75 event in Granby, Canada.
After securing her first grand slam main-draw win at the Australian Open, coming from a set down in a memorable debut at Melbourne Park, Gibson made her maiden Wimbledon main-draw appearance this year achieved by winning three rounds of qualifying.
'This is an incredibly rewarding acknowledgement for all the hard work my team and I have been putting in and for the results I've had this year,' Gibson said of the Tennis Australia wildcard.
'I can't wait to get out there and give it my very best and make everyone proud.'
Schoolkate and Gibson will join 12 other Australians - eight men and four women - in the main draw.
A further seven men and nine women will represent Australia in qualifying.
Among other wildcards Brandon Holt, son of Tracy Austin, who won the women's singles in 1979 and 1981, received one for the men's event.
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