Venus Williams experienced her 13th consecutive singles loss as she was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open. The seven-time major champion, aged 46, earned a wild-card entry to the WTA 1000 event but has not secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old Colombian ranked 95th, outplayed Williams in a one-hour five-minute match at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Williams struggled after losing her serve in the first game, while Arango capitalized on break points, winning 71% of her first-serve points.
Arango expressed relief at taking an early lead, stating, “That kind of eased my nerves a little bit of having maybe a little bit of breathing room.” Arango’s next challenge will be facing the No. 7 seed and defending Cincinnati champion, Iga Swiatek, in the second round. Williams last tasted singles victory in Washington last year, defeating Peyton Stearns.
Despite the loss, Williams remains optimistic, highlighting her control over shots but acknowledging the need for consistency. She will team up with her sister, Serena, for the doubles event in Cincinnati after receiving a wild-card entry. The Williams sisters were set to play together at Wimbledon but Serena’s injury prevented their participation. They are scheduled to face Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the opening round of the doubles tournament, which kicks off on Sunday.
Looking ahead, Venus Williams is gearing up to compete in mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open with Alexander Bublik.