\n<\/p>\n
Venus has fared better in doubles in recent years, reaching the quarter-finals in New York last year alongside Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.<\/p>\n
She has not won a singles match at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2021, where she reached the second round.<\/p>\n
However, the Williams sisters still draw huge crowds together or separately, with stands packed out in Cincinnati for their recent return.<\/p>\n
Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, played what was expected to be the last tournament of her career in New York in 2022.<\/p>\n
However, she made her return first in doubles at Queen’s in June before being given the final Wimbledon women’s singles wildcard.<\/p>\n
Venus won her first US Open singles title in 2000, two months after earning her maiden major at Wimbledon.<\/p>\n
She beat Serena in the final a year later to defend her title – the first of nine major showpieces the sister would contest.<\/p>\n
Venus became the oldest US Open singles player in 44 years when she played at the tournament last year.<\/p>\n
She lost in three sets to ninth seed Karolina Muchova and gave an emotional news conference afterwards, saying it was “nice to be free”.<\/a><\/p>\n In 2011, Williams was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome, an incurable autoimmune disease with symptoms including pain, numbness and fatigue.<\/p>\n She spoke in 2025 about the impact of painful fibroids – abnormal growths that develop in the uterus – on her daily life.<\/p>\n In the men’s draw, France’s Gael Monfils has been awarded a wildcard in the final Grand Slam of his career.<\/p>\n There is also one remaining wildcard for the men’s singles, which could go to 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka.<\/p>\n The Swiss is also calling time on his career at the end of the year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n