Venus Williams given US Open singles wild card; 45-year-old will be oldest player in main draw since 1981

Does this feel like a throwback to 2018, the year that Kvitova beat Wozniacki in what was probably their best match, 7-5 in the third in Doha? Or does it feel more like 2009, when these two 33-year-olds played for the first time, in Bastad?

Either way, it will be like old times when the Czech and the Dane meet at the Open on Wednesday. If you go by their current ranking and 2023 record, Kvitova should have no trouble whatsoever: She ranked 11th and is 28-10 this season, while Wozniacki, who is making a comeback after a three-year layoff, is ranked 623rd, and is just 2-2 in ’23.

But if you go back to their head-to-head, you might think Wozniacki, whatever her form is like right now, has a chance. Kvitova is 8-6 against her, which isn’t a bad record against someone who hits with vastly more power from the ground, and a has a more effective serve. Whatever the result, the long history of these two, and the complete contrast in their styles, should make it a popular watch. Winner: Kvitova

Kvitova and Wozniacki have played 14 times, with the Czech leading 8-6.

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Dominic Thiem vs. Ben Shelton

Looking up the head-to-head between the Austrian the American, I was surprised to find that they have one at all. Shelton has been on tour for just a year, and Thiem hasn’t been lasting all that long at tournaments during that time. But their paths did cross once, on clay in Estoril in April, and the veteran Thiem gave the rookie Shelton a lesson in dirt ball, 6-2, 6-2.

Both men live on the athletic edge, launching themselves into just about every shot they hit and contorting their bodies into extreme positions. They should put on a show of physicality for anyone watching live. For all of their explosiveness, though, neither is winning all that many matches right now. Thiem is 13-18 on the season; Shelton is 12-20. They’ve both shown their potential in the past, of course, especially Thiem, who won the Open in Covid 2020.

Shelton has the longer future and much more time to learn to rein himself in. But Thiem looked looked pretty good in his straight-set win over Alexander Bublik in the first round. Winner: Thiem

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Coco Gauff vs. Mirra Andreeva

The 19-year-old American and the 16-year-old Russian have played once before, in a much-anticipated third-round matchup at Roland Garros. When Andreeva snuck away with the first set in a tiebreaker, it looked like the contest would live up to its hype. But Andreeva couldn’t maintain her consistency or her composure, and Gauff ran away with the last two sets, 6-1, 6-1.

Each is a little lucky to still be in the Open. Gauff fended off a gamely creative Laure Siegemund 6-4 in the third on Monday, while Andreeva lost the first set to Olivia Gadecki 6-1, before winning the third 6-4. Did they get all of their early jitters out, or will they feel them again now that they have to face each other? Gauff and Andreeva are widely assumed to be future rivals and Grand Slam champions. Right now, though, the future feels a little closer for Gauff. Winner: Gauff

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