Venus Williams faced another defeat in singles competition, extending her losing streak to 13 matches. The seven-time major champion was outplayed by Emiliana Arango, suffering a 6-2, 6-2 loss in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open. Williams, aged 46, entered the event as a wild-card participant but hasn’t secured a singles victory since July 2025.
Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, swiftly dispatched Williams in just over an hour on the grandstand court at Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Williams struggled after losing her serve in the first game, while Arango capitalized on break points, converting 4 out of 5 opportunities and winning 71% of her first-serve points. In contrast, Williams failed to convert her sole break chance and only managed to win 41% of her first-serve points.
Reflecting on her victory, Arango mentioned that taking an early lead helped calm her nerves and maintain pressure on Williams throughout the match. She now advances to face No. 7 seed Iga Swiatek in the second round, the defending champion of the Cincinnati tournament.
Williams’ most recent singles triumph occurred last year in Washington against Peyton Stearns. Despite feeling in control of her shots, Williams acknowledged the need to enhance her consistency in finishing points. This marked her 11th appearance in the Cincinnati tournament.
After her singles exit, Williams will team up with her sister, Serena, in the doubles event, having received a wild-card entry. The Williams sisters, who last paired up at the 2022 U.S. Open, were set to compete at Wimbledon before Serena’s injury. Their first-round opponents in Cincinnati will be Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, with the doubles segment starting on Sunday.
Looking ahead, Venus Williams expressed excitement about the upcoming doubles competition and her mixed doubles partnership with Alexander Bublik at the U.S. Open later this month.