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Tennis fans did not take kindly to the criticism directed towards the decision to grant Venus Williams a wildcard entry into the main draw of the 2023 US Open.
Williams and Caroline Wozniacki lead the list of the eight WTA players who have been awarded wildcards by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for the final Grand Slam of the season. They will be a part of the 128-player main draw, which includes 104 direct entries and 16 qualifiers.
Williams has earned her spot on the list by virtue of being a two-time champion in New York, in 2000 and 2001. This year will mark the American's 24th appearance at the Grand Slam since her debut in 1997.
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Amidst the outpouring of excitement over the news of Venus Williams' participation at the Major, a faction of fans criticized the decision to award the two-time US Open champion a wildcard.
"How many more wildcards will V.Williams receive this year?" a fan tweeted.
Several fans rallied to the 43-year-old's defense. One highlighted that the undeserved criticism was being directed towards the most successful active player on the tour.
"You're talking about THE Venus Williams, the most successful woman still active right now. Hope that helps!" one fan commented.
Another fan argued that the criticism was baseless given that Williams recently defeated the 16th seed Veronika Kudermetova in straight sets at the 2023 Cincinnati Open.
"Acting like she didn't just beat the World #16 in straight sets," another fan commented.
"Wash your mouth before talking about a tennis legend," one user posted.
Here are a few more fan reactions:
A brief look at Venus Williams' record at the US Open
Venus Williams made her debut at the US Open in style, making a run to the finals of the 1997 edition of the event as a teenager. In the title clash, top seed Martina Hingis defeated the American 6-0, 6-4 to win her third Grand Slam title.
Williams' success at her home Slam continued in her next two appearances as she reached the semifinals of the Major in 1998 and 1999, losing to Lindsay Davenport and Hingis respectively.
The 43-year-old won her maiden US Open title in 2000 after defeating Davenport 6-4, 7-5 in the final. She carried out a successful title defense in 2001, emerging victorious over Serena Williams 6-3, 6-4 to claim her fourth Major title.
The American fell short of winning her third consecutive title in New York as she was defeated by Serena in a rematch of the previous year's final. The seven-time Grand Slam champion reached the semifinals on three more occasions, in 2007, 2010, and 2017. Overall, Venus Williams holds an impressive 80% win rate at the US Open with a 79-20 win/loss record.
The 2023 US Open is scheduled to commence on August 28.
Venus Williams and Father Richard recall one match that 7-time Grand Slam champion "should have won"
