Venus Williams’ US Open Run Ends As She Suffers 15th Straight Singles Defeat

Former world number one Venus Williams has suffered her 15th consecutive singles defeat after losing to fellow American Sofia Kenin in the opening round of the US Open.

The 46-year-old American was defeated 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) by Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, in a match that concluded at around 2am local time in New York.

The contest began at 12:13am after Mariano Navone’s five-set victory over Novak Djokovic on Arthur Ashe Stadium, making it the latest match start in US Open history.

Only about 1,000 spectators remained in the stadium by the time Williams and Kenin completed their encounter.

Williams struggled to find her rhythm in the opening set but mounted a stronger challenge in the second, forcing the contest into a tiebreak.

She appeared close to levelling the match after taking a 6-2 lead in the tiebreak and earning seven set points. However, Kenin produced a remarkable comeback, winning the final six points to secure victory.

Reflecting on the unusually late start, Williams admitted that the scheduling was difficult for both players.

“It’s not ideal,” Williams said, adding that she would have preferred an earlier start.

She also questioned the practice of scheduling tennis matches so late at night, noting that playing at 1am or 2am made it difficult for athletes to find their rhythm and produce their best performance.

The latest defeat means Williams has now lost 19 of her last 20 singles matches. Her only victory during that stretch came against Peyton Stearns in Washington in July 2025.

Currently ranked 618th in the world, Williams has not entered a Grand Slam singles main draw through her ranking since Wimbledon in 2021. That tournament also marked her most recent singles victory at a Grand Slam.

Her continued participation in major tournaments through wildcards has generated debate, particularly as the US Open invitation represented her 12th wildcard of the season.

However, Grand Slam champions are not subject to a limit on the number of wildcards they can receive, while tournament organisers continue to recognise Williams’ commercial and historical value to the sport.

Karl Hale, tournament director of the WTA 1000 event in Toronto, where Williams also received a wildcard, defended the decision to include the tennis icon.

Hale argued that having legendary players from different generations remain active in major tournaments benefits the sport and demonstrates their enduring value to tournament organisers.

Despite the latest setback, Williams’ presence at the US Open once again attracted significant attention, underscoring her lasting status as one of the most recognisable figures in tennis.