Sporting merit? Commercial strategy? A tribute to her legacy? The reasons behind the wild card Venus Williams received into the US Open singles main draw have sparked controversy in tennis.
The 46-year-old American has not won a match since July 2025, has lost in the first round at 14 consecutive tournaments and is now ranked outside the WTA Top 600. Despite that, she has already received 11 main-draw wild cards in 2026.
“I keep giving my best in everything I do, as I always have. I put in the same energy, the same effort, the same focus, the same determination. I keep learning new things. That’s how it has been throughout my career. The goal is to enjoy the process,” she said in Toronto ahead of the Canadian WTA 1000, where she received a wild card and lost in the first round.
It is impossible not to recognise Venus’ greatness in the women’s game, but at the same time, it is inevitable to wonder whether the former world No. 1 is taking opportunities away from young players who could break through on tour, or from players returning from injury who could still be competitive.
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In 2026, Williams has played 11 tournaments: Auckland, Hobart, the Australian Open, Austin, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Bad Homburg, Washington, Toronto and Cincinnati.
She received a main-draw wild card for every one of them and lost in the first round every time, winning just four sets in singles throughout the season.
The former world No. 1 has also lost 14 consecutive matches on tour, a run that began in July 2025 in Washington, where she lost in the second round. If she loses her US Open opener, she will move into the top five longest losing streaks in WTA history.
Despite the stark statistics, the elder Williams did not appear concerned about her current form. “At all times, I felt like I was in control of the points, but I couldn’t close them out the way I wanted to. The positive is that I’m controlling my shots; I just need to be a little more consistent in the final stages,” she said after losing to Colombia’s Emilia Arango, the world No. 95, in Cincinnati.
In the middle of last year, the two-time New York champion decided to return to competition after a 16-month “spell away from the sport due to injuries and surgeries. Since then, all of her appearances on tour have come through wild cards, which at this point has sparked debate among tennis fans.
On one side are those who believe it is fair for Venus Williams, a former world No. 1 and 23-time Grand Slam champion across singles and doubles, to continue receiving invitations to the biggest tournaments in the world, even if her results no longer match that level and she has won just two matches since August 2023.
Others believe that after 11 wild cards in one year and no wins, she should no longer be considered for these special spots.
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At this year’s US Open, attention is also focused on the potential participation of Serena Williams, who at 44 returned to competition midway through the season.
With a wild card yet to be announced, the media interest surrounding the possibility of seeing the Williams sisters playing in New York once again is undoubtedly something the tournament organisers have taken into consideration.
Despite all the debate, the reality is that the decision over who receives a wild card rests entirely with the tournament organisers, and there is no rule determining whether players must meet certain conditions or achieve specific results to be eligible.
In other sports, such as golf, it is also common to see legendary players competing in the biggest tournaments without necessarily being competitive. The difference, however, is that on the PGA Tour and at golf’s Majors, champions are often granted lifetime exemptions and do not have to be assessed year by year, as is the case in tennis.
The big question is what will happen after this North American swing and whether Williams will continue to receive wild cards from tournaments that have already given her one in 2026. Will there be more opportunities for the American legend, or will the window finally close?
