BBC Sport · Nov 5, 2025
Williams, 45, given wildcard for Auckland Classic
Image caption, Two-time champion Venus Williams was the third-oldest woman to compete at this year's US Open in the Open eraVenus Williams has been awarded a wildcard for the Auckland Classic in January.
The 45-year-old, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, made her comeback in July after 16 months without competing.
She defeated fellow American Peyton Stearns, then ranked 35th in the world, on her return at the Washington Open to become the second-oldest woman to win a WTA Tour-level singles match.
A month later, she was given a wildcard into the main draw of the US Open and impressed in her three-set loss to Czech 11th seed Karolina Muchova in the first round.