Venus Williams continues her singles losing streak, now at 13 matches. The seven-time major champion suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat against Emiliana Arango in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open. Williams, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event with a wild-card but hasn’t won a singles match since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old Colombian qualifier ranked 95th, secured victory over Williams in one hour and five minutes at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
In the match, Williams had her serve broken in the first game, setting the tone for her uphill battle. Arango capitalized on 4 out of 5 break points and won 71% of her first-serve points. On the other hand, Williams struggled, only converting on 41% of her first-serve points and failing to capitalize on her sole break opportunity.
Reflecting on her performance, Arango mentioned that taking an early lead helped calm her nerves and maintain pressure on Williams. Arango is now set to face the 7th seed and defending champion Iga Swiatek in the second round.
Williams last tasted singles victory in Washington last year, defeating Peyton Stearns. Despite feeling in control during points, Williams acknowledged the need to improve her consistency in finishing plays. This marks Williams’s 11th appearance in the Cincinnati tournament.
Following her singles match, Williams will team up with her sister, Serena, for the doubles event in Cincinnati. The sisters, who last played together at the 2022 U.S. Open, were previously scheduled to pair up at Wimbledon before Serena’s injury. Their first-round opponents in Cincinnati will be Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, with the doubles tournament commencing on Sunday.
Looking ahead, Venus Williams expressed excitement about playing alongside her sister and preparing for the upcoming matches. Additionally, she is slated to compete in mixed doubles with Alexander Bublik at the upcoming U.S. Open.