Venus Williams was 46, making her the oldest player to contest a singles match at the 2026 US Open.
Williams’s participation was a major longevity milestone in a tournament that featured athletes from several generations. The statistic covered either singles draw, meaning the men’s or women’s singles competition, rather than only the women’s event.
Venus is a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion and a former world No. 1. She has also won multiple major doubles titles with her sister Serena Williams. Their careers have made the Williams family central to the modern history of tennis.
The age record is about contesting a match, not necessarily winning one. That distinction matters because Gael Monfils separately became the oldest man to win a US Open main-draw match in 2026 at age 40. Venus and Serena also returned to US Open doubles in 2026 after four years away from that competition.