2-time champ Venus Williams receives wild card into US Open

NEW YORK (AP) — Two-time champion Venus Williams will be back at the U.S. Open after being given a wild card into the Grand Slam tournament. The 41-year-old Williams has won seven major titles including victories at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001. But with her current WTA ranking of No. 112, she has fallen outside the top 104 who received direct entry into the women’s main draw. Williams hasn’t missed the U.S. Open since 2006, when she was sidelined by a wrist injury. She reached her last major semifinal there in 2017. CoCo Vandeweghe also reached those semifinals and also was awarded a wild card by the U.S. Tennis Association.