Serena Williams’ coach, Rennae Stubbs, has defended Venus Williams’ continued receipt of singles wildcards, arguing that the tennis legend remains a major attraction despite growing criticism over her recent results.
Williams, 46, was among eight women awarded wildcards for this year’s US Open, where she is set to face fellow American wildcard Sofia Kenin in the first round.
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion enters the tournament in poor form, having lost all 10 of her singles matches this season.
She is also currently on a 13-match losing streak, with her last singles victory coming against the Washington Open in July 2025.
The decision to hand Williams another wildcard has sparked criticism from some tennis fans, who believe the opportunities should instead go to players with stronger current form or rankings.
However, Stubbs, who coaches Williams’ younger sister Serena, believes tournament organisers are justified in continuing to give Venus opportunities because of her popularity and ability to attract spectators.
Speaking on her podcast, Stubbs said, “I am going to let Venus decide when she wants to retire, I am going to let the tournaments decide when they don’t want to give her a wildcard because she still puts bums in seats, she still sells and people love to see her play.
“Until the tournament decides another player is more important to give a wildcard to, that’s up to them. I was on the tennis court with her today practising. I have never seen somebody love tennis so much and she is practising out there for hours.
“If you think she is just rocking up and playing and not putting the work in, you are sorely wrong on that. She was out there for almost three hours. She is putting the effort in, she’s working hard, I think we should appreciate her while we have her. I don’t think it’s going to be much longer; we’ll see.”
Stubbs also praised Williams’ continued quality on the court, insisting that the veteran can still strike the ball at an exceptional level.
She pointed to the huge crowds Williams attracted during the Cincinnati tournament, contrasting them with the comparatively low attendance at a match involving Alexander Zverev.
According to Stubbs, the situation ultimately comes down to “supply and demand”.
As long as fans continue to turn out in large numbers to watch Williams, she believes tournaments will remain willing to offer her wildcards.
Stubbs, however, acknowledged that Williams’ retirement may not be far away, making the remaining opportunities to watch the former world No. 1 increasingly valuable.
