Latest news with #ReneeRichards
Independent Singapore
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
45-year-old Venus Williams given wildcard to play at the US Open, the oldest player so far in the tournament
Photo: Venus Williams will once again compete in a tennis Grand Slam at this year's US Open, following her two-year hiatus from the sport. The 45-year-old athlete recently received a wildcard into the tournament's women's singles event, and she will be the oldest athlete competing since 1981, following Renee Richards, who played at the age of 47 back then. Last season, Venus missed most of the events due to surgery to remove uterine fibroids. She recently had her comeback at the DC Open and had entered this year's Cincinnati Open via a wildcard as well. However, she was defeated during the first round of the singles tournament. In New York this year, she will play with Reilly Opelka in the mixed doubles event happening on August 19 and 20, and the singles event as well. In her tennis career, Venus has won seven major singles championships, which include the US Open 2000 and 2001. Furthermore, she won 14 titles in women's doubles with her younger sister, Serena Williams, and two more in mixed doubles. See also Liv Golf stars set for big test at Sentosa's Serapong course Venus Williams returns to the sport In her recent comeback at the DC Open, Venus Williams expressed that even though she has missed playing for a couple of years, there is no doubt that she can play, and that it will take time to 'get in the swing of things.' Williams declared at that time: 'This is very special for me to come back and play tennis… I think it's a surprise for the fans — and a surprise in general, as I hold my cards tight.' 'I definitely feel I'll play well. I'm still the same player. I'm a big hitter. I hit big. This is my brand,' she added. Furthermore, Venus also misses playing with her sister, Serena, on tour. The athlete also remarked that everything is a lot better if she were with her. She stated, 'I keep saying to my team: The only thing that would make this better is if she was here. Like, we always did everything together, so of course I miss her… But if she comes back, I'm sure she'll let y'all know.' Serena Williams has not played tennis since the 2022 US Open. During the peak of her career, the athlete won 23 major singles titles and 14 more in the doubles event with Venus. Read more about Venus Williams' 2025 tennis comeback here. On social media, netizens continue to express their support for Venus. One netizen stated: 'You are such an inspiration! Keep going! We have your back always! 💙'. Another netizen said: 'Queen is going to do some damage in New York, I feel it 😍' () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Venus Williams, 45, announces shock US Open comeback after two years without competing in a Grand Slam
VENUS WILLIAMS will play in a Grand Slam for the first time in two years after being handed a US Open wildcard. World No577 Williams was given a spot in the main draw of her home Major at the age of 45. 2 It means she is set to feature in a record-extending 25th US Open singles tournament which gets underway on August 24. And the veteran remains on course to be the oldest singles star to take to the court at Flushing Meadows for 44 years. In 1981, Renee Richards played at the age of 47. Many expected Williams to retire from tennis this year, having not competed between March 2024 and July 2025 due to health struggles - she needed surgery to remove fibroids from her uterus a year ago. Her last win was way back at the Cincinnati Open in August 2023. However, she accepted a wildcard for the Washington Open last month and stunned then-world No35 Peyton Stearns to win 6-3 6-4. US Open, where the prize money stands at a record $5million [£3.7m]. Williams made the final on her debut at the Grand Slam event way back in 1997, losing to Martina Hingis. She was crowned champion in 2000 and 2001, beating sister Serena in the latter. But from the French Open 2002 to Wimbledon 2003, Venus reached five Grand Slam finals - and lost them all to her younger sibling. Tennis stars' new careers PLENTY of tennis stars have stayed involved in the sport since retiring. But others pursued very different careers. Here are some of the best… I reached French Open and Wimbledon finals as a teenager but I quit to become a nun I won Wimbledon mixed doubles with my sister but got fed up with English weather so now run luxury B&B I was tipped for stardom aged 12 but retrained to become high-flying lawyer I earned £9m and won French Open before setting up bistro with Brazilian model girlfriend I'm last Frenchman to win Roland Garros, now I'm singer with six albums hitting No1 in charts I'm former world No1 but quit aged 29 - instead I went on to play professional poker and golf I was destined for the top but swapped lobs for labs as award-winning Harvard physicist Venus - a five-time Wimbledon winner - will also take part in the controversial mixed doubles event in the week before the singles draws get underway. Doubles specialists have been sidelined with a new, faster format and high-profile singles players teaming up - including Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz. Williams received a wildcard entry alongside compatriot partner Reilly Opelka. 2
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Venus Williams, 45, will be oldest US Open singles entrant in 44 years
Venus Williams will make her return to Grand Slam singles at the US Open after a two-year absence, having received a wildcard invitation on Wednesday to compete at Flushing Meadows at age 45. Williams will be the oldest singles entrant at the tournament since Renee Richards played there at 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation. The seven-time major singles champion – including US Open titles in 2000 and 2001 – already had been given a wildcard for next week's mixed doubles competition in New York. Singles matches begin 24 August. Williams last played in a Grand Slam event at the 2023 US Open, losing in the first round. She has not won a singles match there since 2019. Her return to the tour came last month at the DC Open, her first match anywhere in 16 months. Asked then if it would be a one-off appearance, Williams replied: 'I'm just here for now, and who knows? Maybe there's more … I definitely feel I'll play well. I'm still the same player. I'm a big hitter. This is my brand.' The comeback follows surgery last year to remove uterine fibroids, which sidelined her for most of the season. In Washington, she became the oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 2004. She also drew headlines for announcing her engagement to an Italian actor and joking that she needed to get back on court for the health insurance. Williams, who has also won 14 women's doubles titles with her sister Serena and two in mixed doubles, entered the Cincinnati Open via a wild card last week but lost in the first round of singles. In New York, she will play mixed doubles with American Reilly Opelka. Other women's singles wild cards went to Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman and Alyssa Ahn; France's Caroline Garcia, who will retire after the tournament; and Australia's Talia Gibson. Men's wild cards went to the Americans Brandon Holt, Nishesh Basavareddy, Tristan Boyer, Emilio Nava, Stefan Dostanic and Darwin Blanch; France's Valentin Royer; and Australia's Tristan Schoolkate.
CNN
5 days ago
- Sport
- CNN
Former champion Venus Williams, 45, gets US Open wild card, oldest singles entrant in 44 years
Venus Williams is making her return to the US Open at 45 as a wild card for the singles main draw. Williams' appearance later this month will make her the oldest singles entrant at Flushing Meadows since Renee Richards, who was 47 at the time of her participation in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation. The American former world No. 1 made her return to tennis with her first match in 16 months at the DC Open in July, where she claimed her first singles win in two years. With that win, Williams became the oldest player to win a singles match on the WTA Tour since Martina Navratilova won in the first round of Wimbledon in 2004 aged 47. However, her bid for her first winning streak since 2019 ended with a 6-2, 6-2 loss to 24th-ranked Magdalena Frech in the next round at the DC Open. Over the course of her career, Williams won seven grand slam singles titles – two of them at the US Open – and 14 in doubles alongside younger sister Serena. She also holds two mixed doubles grand slam titles in 1998. The tennis legend is currently ranked 654th and was listed as inactive on the WTA website until last month. Williams will also be participating in the tournament's mixed doubles competition, alongside fellow American Reilly Opelka. Tournament organizers announced that this year's 'reimagined' mixed doubles will take place several days before the scheduled start of the tournament, which would allow top players to appear, attracting more fans and allowing broadcasters to spotlight the competition before main draw singles play begins on August 24. And while the change has been welcomed by some players, others have argued that the new format would allow doubles specialists to be overlooked, with defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori calling adjustments to the tournament 'a profound injustice.' Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman and Alyssa Ahn will also receive women's singles main draw wild cards for the tournament, which begins next Monday, alongside France's Caroline Garcia and Australia's Talia Gibson. CNN's George Ramsay and Matias Grez contributed reporting.
CNN
5 days ago
- Sport
- CNN
Former champion Venus Williams, 45, gets US Open wild card, oldest singles entrant in 44 years
Venus Williams is making her return to the US Open at 45 as a wild card for the singles main draw. Williams' appearance later this month will make her the oldest singles entrant at Flushing Meadows since Renee Richards, who was 47 at the time of her participation in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation. The American former world No. 1 made her return to tennis with her first match in 16 months at the DC Open in July, where she claimed her first singles win in two years. With that win, Williams became the oldest player to win a singles match on the WTA Tour since Martina Navratilova won in the first round of Wimbledon in 2004 aged 47. However, her bid for her first winning streak since 2019 ended with a 6-2, 6-2 loss to 24th-ranked Magdalena Frech in the next round at the DC Open. Over the course of her career, Williams won seven grand slam singles titles – two of them at the US Open – and 14 in doubles alongside younger sister Serena. She also holds two mixed doubles grand slam titles in 1998. The tennis legend is currently ranked 654th and was listed as inactive on the WTA website until last month. Williams will also be participating in the tournament's mixed doubles competition, alongside fellow American Reilly Opelka. Tournament organizers announced that this year's 'reimagined' mixed doubles will take place several days before the scheduled start of the tournament, which would allow top players to appear, attracting more fans and allowing broadcasters to spotlight the competition before main draw singles play begins on August 24. And while the change has been welcomed by some players, others have argued that the new format would allow doubles specialists to be overlooked, with defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori calling adjustments to the tournament 'a profound injustice.' Americans Clervie Ngounoue, Julieta Pareja, Caty McNally, Valerie Glozman and Alyssa Ahn will also receive women's singles main draw wild cards for the tournament, which begins next Monday, alongside France's Caroline Garcia and Australia's Talia Gibson. CNN's George Ramsay and Matias Grez contributed reporting.
