Serena granted US Open wildcard

Williams is moving back up the world rankings

Two-time US Open champion Serena Williams will definitely play in next week's tournament after being given a wildcard entry by organisers.

Williams was sidelined for six months this season with a chronic knee injury and was ranked 139th at last month's entry deadline for the US Open.

The cut-off for automatic entries to the main draw was 102, but Williams has subsequently moved up to 79th.

Chanda Rubin and Alicia Molik have also been given wildcards.

Rubin has been ranked as high as sixth in the world, but she has played a limited schedule in the last two seasons because of a knee injury.

Molik received a wildcard from the US Tennis Association as part of a reciprocal agreement with Tennis Australia.

The other women's wildcards went to Bethanie Mattek, Ahsha Rolle, and teens Lauren Albanese, Alexa Glatch and Jessica Kirkland.