Venus Williams received a U.S. Open singles wild card Tuesday, while one spot remains unannounced, raising speculation that it could be reserved for her younger sister, Serena Williams.
Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, was among six other women awarded wild cards. The U.S. Tennis Association said the tournament's final women's singles wild card will be announced later.
That spot could go to Serena Williams if the 44-year-old decides to return to the U.S. Open. Serena returned to singles competition at Wimbledon this year after nearly four years away from the sport, but her participation at Flushing Meadows remains uncertain.
Venus Williams, 46, also received a wild card last year when she returned to the Grand Slam tournament she has won twice for the first time since 2023. Her appearance made her the oldest woman to compete in U.S. Open singles since Renee Richards played at 47 in 1981, according to the International Tennis Federation.
Venus has continued to play singles this season and reunited with Serena this week for their first doubles tournament together since the 2022 U.S. Open. The sisters lost Monday to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in a match tiebreak at the Cincinnati Open, 6-2, 1-6, 10-8.
The sisters had planned to play doubles at Wimbledon but withdrew after Serena injured her knee. Serena had already returned to singles at the tournament, marking her first singles appearance since the 2022 U.S. Open. She indicated afterward that she hoped to continue competing if she remained healthy.
Headlining the men's wild-card recipients were 39-year-old Gael Monfils, a former U.S. Open semifinalist who plans to play his final Grand Slam tournament before retiring, and Australian Alexei Popyrin, who upset Novak Djokovic in 2024 on his way to the fourth round.
One spot also remains among the eight men's wild cards. Stan Wawrinka, the 2016 U.S. Open champion who is playing his final season at 41, could be a candidate for that spot.
Also receiving women's wild cards were Carol Young Suh Lee, Reese Brantmeier, Thea Frodin, Leolia Jeanjean and Taylah Preston.
The other men receiving wild cards were two-time reigning NCAA singles champion Michael Zheng, Martin Damm, J.J. Wolf, Sebastian Gorzny and Jack Kennedy.
Kei Nishikori, the 2014 U.S. Open runner-up who also plans to retire, received a wild card into the men's qualifying tournament, along with Jordan Lee, Trevor Svajda, Andre Ilagan, Spencer Johnson, Michael Antonius, Andrew Johnson and Daniel Milavsky.
Women receiving spots in the qualifying tournament were Caroline Dolehide, Janae Preston, Katrina Scott, Ayana Akli, Annika Penickova, Julieta Pareja, Kristina Penickova and Savannah Broadus.
The main draw begins Aug. 30, with qualifying taking place earlier that week.
