Venus Williams receives wildcard, joins Caroline Wozniacki at Canadian Open 2023

Former Grand Slam winners Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki received wildcards to compete at the 2023 Canadian Open, to be held in Montreal later this year.

The seven-time Grand Slam winner, Williams, competed in the 2023 Wimbledon Championships but suffered a first-round defeat at the hands of Ukraine's Elina Svitolina.

Wozniacki, on the other hand, had hung up her tennis boots in 2020, but last month, she announced her shock return to tennis with the aim of playing the 2023 US Open.

"So I’m going to play the US Open. There’s just an electric atmosphere in New York that I can’t get enough of, and I’ve played so well there for years and years; I’ll start out playing in Montreal just to get back into the groove, and then we’ll all head to New York," Wozniacki told Vogue.

Williams will be returning to Montreal for the first time since 2018, although her last two Canadian Open appearances were in Toronto in 2019 and 2022.

"@Venuseswilliams earns a bye for the #OBN23 , marking her highly anticipated return to Montreal since 2018. The seven-time Grand Slam champion is ready to wow the crowd once again," the caption of the tweet read.

Former World No. 1, Wozniacki, sent a message to her fans and well-wishers. She recalled her 2010 title-winning run in Montreal:

"I am so excited to be returning to the tour but most of all comeback to Montreal and play infront all of you. I have so many amazing memories from back in 2010 winning the tournament there."

Both Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki received the top-20 pass, which is given to former World No. 1s, who were part of the Top 20 in 2022 or who have already won a Grand Slam tournament, the WTA Finals, or a category 1000 single event.

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How has Venus Williams fared at the Canadian Open?

National Bank Open Toronto - Day 3

Venus Williams made her Canadian Open debut in 1995, a wildcard entrant then, lost in the first round to Sabine Appelmans. After a decade-long gap, Williams once again competed in the tournament, in 2009. The then World No. 3 received a bye in the first round but lost to a qualifier in the second round.

The American finally brought an end to her poor run by reaching the finals of the 2014 Canadian Open. Williams beat the likes of Angelique Kerber, Carla Suarez Navarro, and Serena Williams to reach the summit clash. Up against Agnieszka Radwanska, the veteran lost the title.

Since her title-winning run, Williams has failed to go beyond the round of 16, even for once. In her last appearance, at the 2022 Canadian Open, which was held in Toronto, Venus Williams lost to Jill Teichmann in the first round of the tournament.