Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango within the first spherical of Cincinnati Open.
Revealed On 15 Aug 2026
Venus Williams’s shedding streak in singles play has reached 13 matches.
The seven-time main champion was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Emiliana Arango late on Friday within the first spherical of the Cincinnati Open.
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The 46-year-old Williams obtained a wild-card entry to the WTA 1000 occasion. She has not received a singles match since July 2025.
Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked ninety fifth, wanted 1 hour, 5 minutes to defeat Williams on the grandstand court docket at Lindner Tennis Heart.
Williams had her serve damaged within the first recreation of the match and confronted an uphill battle the remainder of the best way. Arango was 4 of 5 on changing break factors and received 71 % of her first-serve factors.
Williams was unable to transform on her lone break alternative and was solely 41 % on first-serve factors.
“That type of eased my nerves somewhat bit of getting possibly somewhat little bit of respiration room. After which I feel I simply did a very good job of staying on it, attempting to make her play as a lot as attainable,” Arango mentioned about getting forward early.
Arango will face No 7 seed and defending Cincinnati champion Iga Swiatek within the second spherical.
Williams’s final singles victory got here final yr in Washington, when she defeated Peyton Stearns.
“I feel that always I used to be actually controlling the purpose, however sadly didn’t end it the best way I needed to,” mentioned Williams, who’s making her eleventh look within the match. “The encouraging half is that I’m controlling the pictures, however I’ve to only get somewhat extra constant on that final half.”
Williams will stay in Cincinnati to play doubles together with her sister, Serena, after they obtained a wild-card entry. They final performed doubles collectively on the 2022 US Open.
The Williams sisters have been slated to play doubles at Wimbledon earlier than an damage to Serena. They’ll play Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns within the first spherical.
The doubles portion of the match begins on Sunday.
“I’m excited and hope that we will each go into it contemporary, on our toes and prepared. I’ll be getting ready for that,” Venus Williams mentioned.
Venus can be slated to play blended doubles on the US Open later this month with Alexander Bublik.
