Venus Williams continues to struggle in singles matches, now on a 13-game losing streak. The former seven-time major champion suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat against Emiliana Arango during 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 singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old Colombian qualifier ranked 95th, outplayed Williams in a one-hour, five-minute match at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.

From the start, Williams faced challenges as her serve was broken in the opening game, setting the tone for the match. Arango capitalized on break points, converting 4 out of 5, and dominated with a 71% success rate on first-serve points. In contrast, Williams struggled to hold her ground, managing to convert only one break opportunity and winning just 41% of her first-serve points.

Reflecting on her early lead, Arango mentioned it helped calm her nerves and maintain pressure on Williams throughout the match. Arango now advances to face the 7th seed and defending Cincinnati champion, Iga Swiatek, in the next round.

Venus Williams’s last singles triumph dates back to last year in Washington, where she defeated Peyton Stearns. Commenting on her performance, Williams acknowledged her control over the game but expressed the need for greater consistency in closing out points. This marks Williams’s 11th appearance in the Cincinnati tournament.

Despite her singles setback, Venus Williams will partner with her sister, Serena, for the doubles event after receiving a wild-card entry. The sisters, who last played together at the 2022 U.S. Open, were set to compete at Wimbledon before Serena’s injury. Their first-round opponents in Cincinnati will be Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns, with the doubles matches commencing on Sunday.

Looking ahead, Venus Williams expressed excitement about the upcoming doubles competition and her participation in mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open alongside Alexander Bublik.