US Open Debate: Should Tennis Still Invite Great Champion Venus Williams?

Venus Williams’ name still opens doors at the US Open. At 46, the seven-time Grand Slam champion received another invitation, but her first-round loss to Sofia Kenin extended her losing streak to 15 matches.

Williams, who won the US Open in 2000 and 2001, has now lost 15 of the 15 tournaments she entered through invitations. Twelve of those defeats came in 2026. She fought through the second set against Kenin, failing to convert seven set points, but the broader record is stark: she has won only four singles sets all season.

The former world No. 1, who held the top ranking for 11 weeks in 2002, has slipped to 664th. Her most recent victory came at the WTA tournament in Washington last year. The previous win came on Aug. 14, 2023. Since returning to competition in the middle of last year, she has played in Auckland, Hobart, the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Bad Homburg, Washington, Toronto and Cincinnati without finding another victory.

The question now is what wild cards are for. Organizers can point to an extraordinary career and a player who still appears to enjoy competing. Williams has said she continues to bring the same energy, effort, concentration and determination to everything she does, while trying to enjoy the process.

But each invitation also occupies a place that could go to an emerging player or an athlete returning from injury. Williams’ fame can sell more tickets than an unknown young competitor, making the decision both a sporting judgment and a commercial one. After her latest defeat, she entered the top five for the longest losing streaks in the sport.

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I continue to give my best in everything I do, as I always have. I put in the same energy, the same effort, the same concentration, the same determination. I continue to learn new things. It has always been this way throughout my career. The goal is to enjoy the process.