Venus Williams faced another defeat in singles play, extending her losing streak to 13 matches. The seven-time major champion was outplayed by Emiliana Arango, losing 6-2, 6-2 in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open. Williams, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event as a wild-card recipient but has not secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, clinched the victory in one hour and five minutes at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
Arango swiftly took the lead by breaking Williams’ serve in the first game, maintaining control throughout the match. Williams struggled to convert her sole break opportunity and only managed a 41% success rate on first-serve points. Reflecting on her performance, Arango credited her early advantage for easing her nerves and emphasized the importance of keeping the pressure on her opponent.
In her 11th appearance at the Cincinnati tournament, Williams recalled her last singles triumph in Washington, where she defeated Peyton Stearns. Despite feeling in command of the points, Williams acknowledged the need for greater consistency to close out matches successfully. Arango is now set to face No. 7 seed and defending champion Iga Swiatek in the next round.
Following her singles loss, Williams will partner with her sister, Serena, in the doubles event, having received a wild-card entry. The Williams sisters, who last played doubles together at the 2022 U.S. Open, missed out on Wimbledon due to Serena’s injury. They are scheduled to play against Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the opening round of the Cincinnati doubles tournament, commencing on Sunday. Venus Williams expressed excitement about the upcoming doubles match and her participation in mixed doubles with Alexander Bublik at the upcoming U.S. Open.
