‘It’s Not a Hobby!’ – Intense Venus Williams Wildcard Backlash Has Stubbs Fuming

American legend Venus Williams, aged 45, has wrapped up her singles run at the Madrid Open with a loss in the round of 128 to Kaitlin Quevedo. The icon who entered the WTA 1000 tournament as a wildcard recently sparked debate among fans but received support from Rennae Stubbs, who fiercely defended her wildcard entries.

Venus Williams’ Madrid Open Wildcard Entry Sparks Clash Among Fans, Rennae Stubbs Hits Back

Williams began her 2026 season with the ASB Classic, facing a round-of-32 defeat against Polish star Magda Linette. She was then beaten by Tatjana Maria in the same round at the Hobart International. The former World No. 1 entered these tournaments as a wildcard and also enjoyed the same privilege at the Australian Open.

At Melbourne Park, she lost in the first round against Olga Danilović, despite leading 4-0 in the third set. She then accepted a wildcard at the ATX Open but again crashed out in the first round. She also lost in the round of 128 at the Indian Wells Open as a wildcard, and with the same entry, she competed at the Miami Open, where she also lost in the round of 128.

Her wildcard entries in recent tournaments have sparked debate among fans, who highlight how Williams’ tournament entries are taking away opportunities from younger players who could change the trajectories of their careers with them. To which Stubbs replied, highlighting her disagreement.

She said, “100% disagree. She’s earned the right to play whenever she wants, wherever she is asked & given that opportunity. Younger players can play smaller events and earn their way on the tour IF they are good enough. If you think 1 chance is making or breaking a player, you don’t get the tour.”

The winner of 66 WTA doubles titles also mentioned, “Trust me, it’s not a hobby! She’s working her tail off, and if a tourney wants her, then go have it! Relax and don’t worry, some kid who YOU think deserves a WC will 100% make it anyway IF they are good enough and work hard enough. It’s not rocket science here; it’s PRO SPORTS!”

imagine being an upcoming player and losing an WC opportunity that could literally change your life and ignite your career because a retired player treats professional tennis as if it was a country club or an exho instead of a serious competitive sport people make livings out of https://t.co/gW9Dvqu1OJ

— Ali (@aligarros) April 22, 2026

While respecting the legend’s legacy, one fan pointed out that Williams is given multiple wildcard entries but has exited early from all the tournaments and isn’t able to play in her elite form.

Yo puedo comprender este argumento con Venus, pero me pregunto: ¿de verdad no ven un problema en que reciba todas las invitaciones que quiera pero pierda siempre en primera ronda? Yo entiendo el punto de que es una leyenda, pero se está viendo que no está logrando competir al… https://t.co/8Ws7HTaokR

— Guillermo Falcón (@Guille2Falcon) April 23, 2026

To which Stubbs replied, “That’s not up to me to decide; it’s up to the tourney director, sponsors, and Venus. You think she likes it? At some point she will retire and never play again; until then, it’s up to her and those that give it to her.”

Coming on to her court action, Williams is gearing up for her doubles run with Katie Boulter. The pair begins against Jiang Xinyu and Xu Yifan at the Madrid Open. Williams has, meanwhile, revealed that she won’t be able to play at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome. She was reportedly offered a wildcard but was forced to decline it as she has “other commitments.”