Venus Williams extended her singles losing streak to 13 matches as she was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango in the first round of the Cincinnati Open. The seven-time major champion, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event as a wild-card entry and has not secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, triumphed over Williams in one hour and five minutes on the grandstand court at Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
Arango broke Williams’ serve in the initial game, setting the tone for the match. The Colombian converted 4 out of 5 break points and won 71% of her first-serve points, while Williams struggled to capitalize on her lone break opportunity and only managed a 41% first-serve success rate. Looking ahead, Arango is set to face the defending champion, Iga Swiatek, seeded 7th in the tournament.
Williams’ most recent singles victory occurred last year in Washington against Peyton Stearns. Despite feeling in control of the points, Williams expressed disappointment in her inability to finish them effectively. This year marks Williams’ 11th appearance in the Cincinnati tournament, where she aims to enhance her consistency and shot execution.
Following her singles match, Williams will partner with her sister, Serena, for the doubles event in Cincinnati. The Williams sisters, who last played doubles together at the 2022 U.S. Open, were initially scheduled to compete at Wimbledon before Serena sustained an injury. Their first-round opponents at Cincinnati will be Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, with the doubles segment of the tournament commencing on Sunday.
Anticipating the upcoming matches, Venus Williams expressed excitement and readiness for the doubles competition with Serena. Additionally, she is scheduled to participate in mixed doubles at the U.S. Open later this month alongside Alexander Bublik.