Venus Williams continues to struggle in singles matches, now having lost 13 consecutive games. The seven-time major champion was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open. Williams, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event as a wild-card recipient and has not secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, triumphed over Williams in one hour and five minutes at Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
Arango swiftly took the lead in the match by breaking Williams’ serve in the first game, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Winning 71% of her first-serve points, Arango capitalized on 4 of 5 break points, while Williams struggled to convert her lone break opportunity and only managed a 41% success rate on first-serve points. Looking ahead, Arango is set to face No. 7 seed Iga Swiatek, the defending Cincinnati champion, in the next round.
Venus Williams’ most recent singles victory dates back to last year in Washington when she defeated Peyton Stearns. Reflecting on her performance, Williams, participating in her 11th tournament appearance, expressed the need for more consistency in finishing points. Despite the setback in singles, Williams will team up with her sister Serena for the doubles event in Cincinnati, following a wild-card entry. The duo, who last played together at the 2022 U.S. Open, were previously scheduled for Wimbledon but had to withdraw due to Serena’s injury. Their first-round opponents in Cincinnati will be Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, with the doubles segment commencing on Sunday.
Looking forward, Venus Williams is also gearing up to compete in mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open alongside Alexander Bublik.
