As anticipation builds for the 2023 US Open — which begins with the main draw on Monday, August 28 — a familiar face stands out among the list of participants: Venus Williams.
At 43 years old, this seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has been given a main-draw wild card entry, placing her firmly in the spotlight as the tournament approaches. She suffered an injury last week in the Cleveland Open, but she announced that she’s working on getting ready for the US Open.
Williams is no stranger to Grand Slam competition, and she won the US Open back in 2000 and 2001. Despite her illustrious career, Williams has faced her share of challenges and injuries in recent years, and she is currently ranked No. 533 in the WTA standings.
However, recent months have hinted at a resurgence for Williams. While she received a wild card entry at Wimbledon earlier this year, her campaign was cut short in the first round with a loss to Elina Svitolina. Williams twisted her knee early in that match, but ended up seeing the competition through.
Since that disappointment, however, Williams has showcased glimpses of her vintage form without any ill-effects of the injury. Notably, she secured her first Top 20 win in four years at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, pulling off a 6-4, 7-5 upset over No. 16 seed Veronika Kudermetova in the first round.
At the time of writing this article, the odds on Venus Williams to win the US Open have not been released.
As it stands, Iga Swiatek — who won the US Open in 2022 — is favored to defend her crown with +225 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook. Aryna Sabalenka (+500) and Elena Rybakina (+650) are next in line with Americans Jessica Pegula (+1000) and Coro Gauff (+1400) rounding out the top five.