Veteran tennis superstar Venus Williams, who earned a wild card to compete at the 2026 US Open, takes on fellow American Sofia Kenin on Sunday, August 30.
Williams will also compete in the women’s doubles with her sister, Serena Williams. The iconic duo won the doubles title at Flushing Meadows in 1999 and 2009. In the women’s singles competition, the 46-year-old won the Grand Slam in New York in 2000 and 2001.
Williams enters Arthur Ashe Stadium for the 26th time in her career on Sunday. The four-time Olympic champion, however, has struggled on the court in recent years, and few believe she’ll make it past Kenin in the first round.
Williams hasn’t won a singles match since 2025. She hasn’t even won a set since the Bad Homburg Open in June, where she lost in the opening round.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion, however, remains a huge draw at tournaments. And while she’s not yet ready to hang up her racket for good, Williams, who married her husband, Andrea Preti, last year, already has her next gig lined up.
Venus Williams Is Becoming a Career Coach Through Her Latest Partnership
Just two days before her first-round match at the US Open, Williams announced she’ll be hosting a talk in London through her partnership with Ezra Coaching. “In sports, coaching is built into the structure of a career from the start,” Williams explained. “But that’s not how most workplaces function.”
“Coaching used to be reserved for the top, but early career professionals are exactly the people who need it most and get it the last.
“I am so proud to partner with Ezra Coaching,” Williams concluded, “to give 1,000 early career professionals free coaching. Together, we can help more people believe in what’s possible, and give them the tools to lead.”
Williams has earned over $42 million from tennis throughout her career. However, her net worth has grown through multiple brand deals with Lacoste, WeWard app, Happy Viking Superfood, Liquid IV, Dior Beauty, and more.
Venus Williams’ Husband, Andrea Preti, Encourages Her To Keep Playing Tennis
William could comfortably retire from tennis from a financial standpoint, but she’s just not ready. While injuries and health struggles kept her off the court for 16 months in 2024, she returned to play again at age 45 at the Mubadala Open.
As for Preti, he “really encouraged me to keep playing,” Venus told Rennae Stubbs at the 2025 Washington Open. “There were so many times where I just wanted to coast and kind of chill.”
Overall, Williams continues to play because she still loves the sport and wants to compete. “I do what I do because I want to live life the way I want to, unapologetically, with no regrets, on my terms,” Venus told Tennis in August 2025.
“Do my terms always come out the way I want them to? No. But at least I tried to live on my own terms, and that’s super important to me.”
Venus Williams Announces Career News Before US Open