The Mubadala DC Open has handed out its four wildcards apiece for the ATP and WTA draws, and two of the picks have fans talking. Jessica Pegula, Venus Williams, Sofia Kenin, and Qinwen Zheng round out the women’s group, but it’s Pegula and Williams pulling the scrutiny days before the Washington event begins.

Kenin and Zheng’s wildcards raised no eyebrows. Pegula and Williams did, drawing pushback across social media over their entries into the WTA 500 event.

Pegula, ranked No.3 in the world, wouldn’t have needed a wildcard to get into the main draw at all. She simply missed the tournament’s entry deadline, and a wildcard became the only way in.

Ben Shelton ran into the same issue on the men’s side. He also missed the singles entry deadline and needed a wildcard for a direct spot in the draw.

Williams’ case works differently. Her singles ranking of No. 471 isn’t close to good enough for direct entry on its own. Wildcards are the reason she’s played eight singles draws this year.

The 46-year-old still hasn’t won a singles match in 2026, extending her losing streak to 11. She also picked up a women’s doubles wildcard, pairing again with Alexandra Eala.

The two teamed up at last month’s Bad Homburg Open. They beat Alexandra Osborne and Catherine Harrison in the first round before falling to Olivia Nicholls and Tereza Mihalikova in the quarterfinals, 6-3, 6-2.

Back on the singles side, Pegula arrives as one of the tournament favorites. She won the title in 2019 and reached the semifinals in 2023, though last year ended early with a second-round loss to Leylah Fernandez.

Both entries drew plenty of opinions online, and not all of them were kind to the two Americans.

Fans left shocked as Jessica Pegula and Venus Williams receive wildcards for DC Open

The reaction split along two tracks: confusion over why a top-three player needed a wildcard at all, and frustration that Williams got the nod over a younger player.

Several fans zeroed in on Pegula’s ranking. “Why the hell would Jessica Pegula need a wildcard?” one asked. Another raised the same point: “Why would Jessica need a wild card?” A third wasn’t buying the explanation either: “How’s Pegula a WC?”

Other fans directed their frustration at Williams instead, arguing a younger player deserved the spot. “Bro Venus is washed give these cards to other talents,” one wrote. Another pointed to her age and current form: “At 46, Venus Williams, okay.”

The wildcard debate moves off social media and onto the court soon enough. The draw takes place July 24, with the main draw beginning July 27 at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.