Venus Williams has received a wild card into the 2026 US Open women’s singles draw.
The decision to award the 46-year-old a wild card was controversial, given her concerning 14-match losing streak.
Who is the most underrated player in women’s tennis right now?
But if anyone deserves one final wild card at the US Open, it’s Williams.
Venus Williams deserves one final wild card at the US Open because she is a former champion
It’s no secret that Williams isn’t the player she once was.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one has lost 14 consecutive singles matches and currently sits well outside the top 500.
Venus Williams’ 14-match losing streak
- 2025 Washington Open 2R vs Magdalena Frech, 2-6, 2-6
- 2025 Cincinnati Open 1R vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, 4-6, 4-6
- 2025 US Open 1R vs Karolina Muchova, 3-6, 6-2, 1-6
- 2026 ASB Classic 1R vs Magda Linette, 3-6, 6-4, 2-6
- 2026 Hobart International 1R vs Tatjana Maria, 4-6, 3-6
- 2026 Australian Open 1R vs Olga Danilovic, 7-6, 3-6, 4-6
- 2026 ATX Open 1R vs Ajla Tomljanovic, 4-6, 1-6
- 2026 Indian Wells 1R vs Diane Parry, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6
- 2026 Miami Open 1R vs Francesca Jones, 5-7, 5-7
- 2026 Madrid Open 1R vs Kaitlin Quevedo, 2-6, 4-6
- 2026 Bad Homburg Open 1R vs Irina-Camelia Begu, 2-6, 6-4, 6-7
- 2026 Washington Open 1R vs Anastasia Potapova, 3-6, 3-6
- 2026 Canadian Open 1R vs Kamilla Rakhimova, 4-6, 1-6
- 2026 Cincinnati Open 1R vs Emiliana Arango, 2-6, 2-6
But it’s important not to forget her achievements when discussing whether she deserved a US Open wild card.
Williams was one of the greatest players of her generation and won two US Open titles (2000, 2001).
If she wants to play on Arthur Ashe Stadium one final time, surely she has earned that opportunity.
US Open singles main draw wild card recipients (WTA)
| Player | Country | 2026 WTA Record | WTA Rank | Age | Notes |
| Venus Williams | USA | 0-11 | 615th | 46 | Seven-time Grand Slam and two-time US Open champion |
| Sloane Stephens | USA | 13-12 | 240th | 33 | 2017 US Open champion |
| Carol Young Suh Lee | USA | 5-6 | 140th | 24 | US Open Wild Card Challenge winner |
| Reese Brantmeier | USA | 0-2 | 429th | 21 | American Collegiate Player Wild Card playoff winner |
| Thea Frodin | USA | 0-1 | 579th | 17 | USTA Girls’ 18s National Champion |
| Leolia Jeanjean | France | 12-12 | 117th | 31 | Awarded via reciprocal agreement |
| Taylah Preston | Australia | 7-8 | 101st | 20 | Awarded via reciprocal agreement |
| TBA | – | – | – | – | – |
That is if it is ‘one final time’…
Williams has done enough to earn a ‘goodbye’ wild card in New York, but this should probably be it for her singles career.
Any more wild cards after this and it will become harder and harder to defend.
She isn’t competitive anymore, and as tiresome as the argument is, you can’t deny there will be others more deserving of wild cards.
Now, if she decides to continue playing singles, which, of course, is her prerogative, she has every right to do so.
But she shouldn’t carry on at the WTA Tour level, where she requires wild cards to compete.
Williams should consider dropping down to the Challenger Tour or even the ITF level, where she not only has a better chance to qualify via her ranking, but she is more likely to win matches, too.
How wild cards have performed at Grand Slams in 2026
Many of those arguing against Williams receiving a US Open wild card note the low probability that she will win a match.
However, that’s not necessarily as strong an argument as it sounds, especially when you analyse how many wild cards actually win matches at major tournaments.
2026 Wimbledon women’s singles wild cards
- Maja Chwalinska – Lost in 1R
- Harriet Dart – Lost in 1R
- Alicia Dudeney – Lost in 1R
- Hannah Klugman – Lost in 1R
- Mika Stojsavljevic – Lost in 1R
- Katie Swan – Lost in 2R
- Serena Williams – Lost in 1R
- Mimi Xu – Lost in 1R
2026 French Open women’s singles wild cards
- Clara Burel – Lost in 1R
- Ksenia Efremova – Lost in 1R
- Fiona Ferro – Lost in 1R
- Leolia Jeanjean – Lost in 1R
- Emerson Jones – Lost in 1R
- Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah – Lost in 1R
- Alice Tubello – Lost in 1R
- Akasha Urhobo – Lost in 1R
2026 Australian Open women’s singles wild cards
- Zarina Diyas – Lost in 1R
- Talia Gibson – Lost in 2R
- Priscilla Hon – Lost in 2R
- Emerson Jones – Lost in 1R
- Elizabeth Mandlik – Lost in 1R
- Taylah Preston – Lost in 2R
- Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah – Lost in 1R
- Venus Williams – Lost in 1R
Of the 24 main draw wild cards handed out this year, just four resulted in a match win.
The Aussie trio of Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon, and Taylah Preston each won a round in Melbourne, and Great Britain’s Katie Swan won her opener at Wimbledon.
So, with that being said, can you really argue against Williams having one final crack at the US Open?
This year’s US Open main draw begins on Sunday, August 30.
