*Flushing, NY – Venus Williams, now 46 years old, was awarded a wild card entry into the 2026 US Open. She’ll play the final match of Sunday night on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
But everybody isn’t happy about it.
From the middle of last year to now, Venus has received several wild card entries—not to mention her sister Serena Williams receiving one at Wimbledon, opportunities typically reserved for players who aren’t ranked high enough to gain direct entry into major tournaments but are deemed to have the potential to make an impact.
And many believe Venus doesn’t deserve such a free pass.
She obviously isn’t young, and as it goes with sports and age, she’s well beyond the traditional “potential” arc. On top of that, while she continues to show flashes of her former brilliance and logs notable effort, she hasn’t been able to capitalize on the many wild card opportunities she’s been granted, losing 13 consecutive first-round matches.
Scroll to continue reading
Admittedly, those results are dismal by anyone’s standards.
But all tennis players aren’t created equal.
Venus Williams’ Pedigree Sets Her Apart
Venus Williams is, far and away, an extraordinary competitor—and her place in the sport’s history is anything but ordinary.
Venus burst onto the scene as a superstar.
In fact, poetically—and if you believe in fate and destiny narratives—it feels almost too perfect that she was named Venus Ebony Starr Williams.
She was groomed in the dark, so to speak. No junior competition. No traditional tennis pipeline. And when her legendary father, Richard Williams, finally allowed her to see the light of day, she emerged—straight into the professional ranks, racquet-a-swinging—and quite literally transformed the sport.
Let that statement marinate:
She transformed the sport.
She didn’t do it single-handedly, of course. She had a little sister—some of you may remember her 🤭—by the name of Serena Williams, who arrived about a year later.
Together, the sisters ushered in an era of “big babe” power tennis, amassing 30 singles Grand Slam titles and 14 doubles Grand Slam titles between them. Individually, their Grand Slam records remain among the most formidable in the history of the sport: Venus with seven singles majors and Serena with 23.
But let’s bring the focus back to Venus.
Despite the chorus of “she should retire” coming from the peanut gallery, she simply isn’t finished.
And although she isn’t winning, her willingness to continue competing—and the earnest effort she continues to bring to the court—demonstrates that her commitment and passion remain very much intact, even at her “big age.”
Hell no, she won’t go.
At least not until she’s ready.
I must concede that, on paper, there is a fair argument to be made that her career has run its course and that her wild cards could instead be used by younger players trying to launch theirs.
But tennis is a sport, yes.
It’s also a business.
And the girl puts butts in seats.
That’s revenue.
The Williams sisters have long been known to exist within something of a protective bubble, so who knows how much of the criticism actually reaches Venus. But the tournament directors are certainly aware of it.
They face difficult—and often controversial—wild card decisions at every tournament. The equation behind each yes or no is complicated.
Just ask former US Open champion and three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, also now in his 40s. He initially received a “no” from the US Open before a lucky break ultimately put him in the draw.
So I went directly to the source.
I asked US Open tournament brass—USTA CEO Craig Tiley and US Open Tournament Director Eric Butorac:
“Why did you decide to give Venus Williams a wild card amid all the pressure to the contrary?”
Their answer?
“Venus Williams is an American icon and a legend … we didn’t even think twice about it.”
Mic drop. 🎤 🖐🏽
That was enough said.
The tail—the naysayers—doesn’t wag the dog around these parts. And hearing the flat-footed respect they have for OUR icon, Venus Ebony Starr Williams, was refreshing in a moment like this.
Because sometimes the résumé speaks for itself.
Sometimes the impact is bigger than the current ranking.
And sometimes an icon deserves to decide for herself when the curtain falls.
Hell no, she won’t go.
Not until she’s ready.
🎾 Check your local listings for viewing information for Venus Williams vs. compatriot Sofia Kenin.
(If You Like/Appreciate This EURweb Story, Please SHARE it!)
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Serena and Venus Williams Launch ‘Stockton Street’ Podcast
We Publish Breaking News 24/7. Don’t Miss Out! Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
