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Venus Williams is set to compete at the US Open next month, entering the mixed doubles event with Reilly Opelka via a wild-card entry.
Tennis legend Venus Williams (AP)
Venus Williams is set to make her comeback at the U.S. Open next month, joining the revamped mixed doubles tournament with Reilly Opelka through a wild-card entry.
The 45-year-old Williams returned to the tennis tour last week after an absence of over a year. She and Opelka were among the 14 teams announced Tuesday by the U.S. Tennis Association for its mixed doubles event on Aug. 19-20.
Eight pairs earned direct entry into the tournament based on their combined current singles rankings, while six teams received wild cards from the USTA.
Who Are The Other Players?
The lineup features nine players who have won at least one Grand Slam singles title and 14 players currently ranked in the WTA or ATP top 10 for singles.
The eight pairs with direct entry are No. 11 Emma Navarro and No. 1 Jannik Sinner; No. 10 Paula Badosa and No. 5 Jack Draper; No. 3 Iga Swiatek and No. 13 Casper Ruud; No. 12 Elena Rybakina and No. 4 Taylor Fritz; No. 7 Amanda Anisimova and No. 9 Holger Rune; Belinda Bencic and No. 3 Alexander Zverev; No. 4 Jessica Pegula and No. 15 Tommy Paul; No. 5 Mirra Andreeva and No. 14 Daniil Medvedev.
Initially, Badosa was set to pair with Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Draper was to play alongside Zheng Qinwen.
Alongside Williams-Opelka, the wild-card entrants include Emma Raducanu and No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz; No. 8 Madison Keys and No. 12 Frances Tiafoe; Olga Danilovic and No. 6 Novak Djokovic; Taylor Townsend, who debuted at No. 1 in women’s doubles this week, and No. 7 Ben Shelton; and last year’s U.S. Open mixed doubles champions, Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori.
This star-studded group contrasts sharply with the lesser-known players and doubles specialists typically seen in the mixed doubles bracket at a Grand Slam. Some players criticised the planned changes when announced in February, with Errani and Vavassori describing the new setup as a “pseudo-exhibition focused only on entertainment and show,” marginalising true doubles players.
In an effort to attract high-profile names, the USTA increased the prize money, rescheduled mixed doubles to the week before singles competition, and changed the format to first-to-four-game sets with no-ad scoring.
Sixteen pairs will compete for the $1 million top prize, with the final two wild-card pairs to be announced later by the USTA.
Williams may still request and receive a wild-card entry for singles, expected to be announced by the USTA the week of Aug. 11.
Last week, Williams won one match each in singles and doubles at the D.C. Open in Washington, marking her return since competing at the Miami Open in March 2024.
Williams holds seven Grand Slam titles in singles, 14 in women’s doubles—won with her younger sister Serena—and two in mixed doubles.
Opelka, a 6-foot-11 (2.11-meter) American, is 27 years old and was previously ranked in the top 20. He is now No. 74 after nearly two full seasons sidelined due to injuries.
Some partnerships hoping to enter the tournament but not listed on Tuesday include Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur, Jasmine Paolini and Lorenzo Musetti, Aryna Sabalenka and Grigor Dimitrov, Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev, Iva Jovic and Jenson Brooksby, Gaby Dabrowski and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Demi Schuurs and Tallon Griekspoor, Katerina Siniakova and Marcelo Arevalo, Desirae Krawczyk and Evan King, and Su-Wei Hsieh and Jan Zielinski.
(With inputs from AP)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha… Read More
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