Venus Williams continues to struggle in singles matches, now on a 13-match losing streak. The former seven-time major champion faced a 6-2, 6-2 defeat against Emiliana Arango at the Cincinnati Open. Williams, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event as a wild-card recipient but hasn’t secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old Colombian qualifier ranked 95th, clinched the win in just over an hour on the grandstand court at Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Williams faltered early in the match, losing her serve in the opening game and facing an uphill battle thereafter. Arango capitalized on break points, converting 4 out of 5, and dominated with a 71% success rate on her first serves. In contrast, Williams struggled, managing to win only 41% of her first-serve points and failing to convert her sole break opportunity.
Arango expressed her confidence in the match, stating, “That kind of eased my nerves a little bit of having maybe a little bit of breathing room. And then I think I just did a good job of staying on it, trying to make her play as much as possible.” Looking ahead, Arango is set to challenge the 7th seed and defending Cincinnati champion Iga Swiatek in the next round.
The last singles triumph for Williams dates back to last year in Washington when she defeated Peyton Stearns. Reflecting on her performance, Williams remarked, “I think that at all times I was really controlling the point but unfortunately didn’t finish it the way I wanted to.” Despite her struggles, Williams remains optimistic, aiming to enhance her consistency and shot execution.
Following her singles defeat, Venus Williams will team up with her sister, Serena, for the doubles event in Cincinnati after receiving a wild-card entry. The Williams sisters, last paired together at the 2022 U.S. Open, were initially scheduled for Wimbledon but faced a setback due to Serena’s injury. Their first-round opponents in Cincinnati will be Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, with the doubles matches commencing on Sunday. Venus Williams expressed her excitement for the upcoming doubles matches, emphasizing the importance of being fresh and prepared.
Looking ahead, Venus Williams is also slated to participate in mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open alongside Alexander Bublik.