Venus Williams continues her singles losing streak, now at 13 matches. The seven-time major champion suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Emiliana Arango during the opening round of the Cincinnati Open. Williams, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event as a wild-card recipient but hasn’t secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old Colombian qualifier ranked 95th, emerged victorious over Williams in one hour and five minutes on the grandstand court at Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Williams struggled after losing her serve in the first game, with Arango excelling in converting break points and winning 71% of her first-serve points. Despite one break opportunity, Williams only managed a 41% success rate on first-serve points. Arango credited her early lead for calming her nerves and emphasized her strategy of keeping Williams engaged in rallies. Moving forward, Arango is set to face the defending Cincinnati champion, Iga Swiatek, in the second round.
Williams’ most recent singles triumph occurred last year in Washington against Peyton Stearns. Reflecting on her match against Arango, Williams expressed frustration at not capitalizing on controlling the points effectively. She acknowledged the need for improved consistency in finishing off points. Following her singles exit, Williams will team up with her sister, Serena, for the doubles competition in Cincinnati. The duo, who last played together at the 2022 U.S. Open, were initially slated 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 segment of the tournament commencing on Sunday. Venus Williams expressed eagerness for the upcoming doubles matches and outlined her preparations. Additionally, she is scheduled to compete in mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open alongside Alexander Bublik.