Venus Williams adds more tournaments: ATX Open confirms wildcard for former No. 1

The former world No. 1 Venus Williams has once again secured a wildcard for a new WTA tournament, after being confirmed for the upcoming ATX Open Austin, a WTA 250 event that will hold its 4th edition from February 27 to March 5 in Austin, Texas at the Westwood Country Club on outdoor hardcourts.

The tournament has American Jessica Pegula as the defending champion and takes place the week before the start of the Sunshine Double, serving as an ideal preparation stop before competing at Indian Wells and the Miami Open. This Wednesday, the participation of seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams was confirmed, marking her first appearance in the tournament.

The 45-year-old Williams will compete in both singles and doubles alongside nearly two dozen Top 100 players from across the globe. “I’m so excited to be heading to Austin and playing my first ATX Open,” Williams said. “The city has such great energy, and I’ve heard the fans are incredible. I’m looking forward to playing both singles and doubles in front of such a passionate tennis community.”

American standouts include defending champion Jessica Pegula and 18-year-old teenage star Iva Jovic as the main favorites. Other notable names that will participate include Texas’ own Peyton Stearns, German star Eva Lys, and China’s Xinyu Wang.

Williams’ presence in Austin marks another milestone in her legendary career. Beyond her seven Grand Slam singles titles, she boasts 49 WTA singles titles and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles alongside her younger sister Serena. Williams’ Olympic record is unmatched, with four gold medals and one silver medal across the 2000, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Games, making her the most decorated tennis player in Olympic history.

ATX Open organizers said Williams enters the tournament as a wildcard, with one additional wildcard announcement expected later this week. “This is our strongest player field yet,” tournament director Christo Van Rensburg said. “With Venus joining the action at Westwood, Year 4 of WTA Tour tennis in Austin puts the world on notice that the Texas Tennis Takeover is only growing. The last three years have delivered thrilling moments and memorable finals, and this year’s tournament will be unlike any we’ve had before.”

Williams has been especially active recently, and this year she has already competed in three tournaments during the Aussie swing, playing the ASB Classic, Hobart, and Australian Open – all thanks to wildcards and without securing victories so far this season.

In recent years, Williams has limited her presence on the Tour to a handful of tournaments, normally in North America. In 2024, she only participated in the Sunshine Double at Indian Wells and Miami Open, while in 2025 she joined the US Open Series – competing at the DC Open, Cincinnati, and US Open.

The seven-time Grand Slam champion showed she remains competitive last year, when she earned a victory against world No. 35 Peyton Stearns in the first round of the DC Open. She also had an interesting campaign in Flushing Meadows in doubles, partnering with Leylah Fernandez to reach the quarterfinals.

The elder Williams sister currently sits at world No. 552, although she has demonstrated in her recent appearances – even despite losses – that she can maintain a competitive game rhythm, in addition to remaining one of the main attractions for fans who attend her matches in large numbers, both in singles and doubles.