Venus Williams continues to face setbacks in singles matches, extending her losing streak to 13 games. The seven-time major champion was outplayed by Emiliana Arango with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open. Williams, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event as a wild-card recipient but has not secured a victory in singles since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old Colombian qualifier ranked 95th, took just over an hour to overcome Williams at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
From the onset, Williams struggled after conceding an early break in the match against Arango. The Colombian player capitalized on 4 out of 5 break points and won 71% of her first-serve points, while Williams failed to convert her sole break opportunity and only managed to win 41% of her first-serve points. Arango expressed confidence in her performance, 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.”
In the upcoming round, Arango will face the No. 7 seed and defending Cincinnati champion, Iga Swiatek. Williams, making her 11th appearance in the Cincinnati tournament, last tasted singles victory in Washington last year when she defeated Peyton Stearns. Reflecting on her game, Williams acknowledged her control over shots but emphasized the need for greater consistency in finishing points.
Despite her singles defeat, Venus Williams is set to partner with her sister, Serena, for the doubles event in Cincinnati following a wild-card entry. The sisters, who last played together at the 2022 U.S. Open, were initially scheduled to team up at Wimbledon before Serena’s injury. Their first-round doubles match will be against Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns as the doubles segment of the tournament commences on Sunday. Looking ahead, Venus expressed enthusiasm for the doubles competition, aiming to approach it with freshness and readiness. Additionally, Venus is gearing up to participate in mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open alongside Alexander Bublik.