Former champions Venus Williams and Dominic Thiem handed US Open wildcards

Williams, who won at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001, will compete at the age of 42

Venus Williams has been handed a wildcard into the US Open (Cole Burston/AP) (AP)

Former champions Venus Williams and Dominic Thiem have been handed wildcards into the US Open.

Williams, who won at Flushing Meadows in 2000 and 2001, will compete at the age of 42 as she continues a comeback from a recent injury.

The elder Williams sister, whose sibling Serena is set to retire at the end of the tournament, played in Washington and Toronto having previously spent a year out and will appear in New York for the first time since 2020.

Thiem, champion in 2020, has also been handed a place in the main draw as he continues his recovery from a serious injury.

The Austrian – who is currently ranked 228 – suffered a wrist injury that curtailed most of 2021 and the first part of 2022.

Americans Sofia Kenin, who won the Australian Open in 2020 and is also coming back from a long injury lay-off, Sam Querrey and Coco Vandeweghe have also been handed wildcards by the United States Tennis Association.