Venus Williams extended her singles losing streak to 13 matches with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat by Emiliana Arango at the Cincinnati Open. The seven-time major champion, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event as a wild-card but has not won a singles match since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, took one hour and five minutes to secure the victory at Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio. Williams struggled after having her serve broken in the opening game, while Arango capitalized on break points and first-serve points to dominate the match.
Arango expressed her relief at gaining an early advantage and credited her focus on making Williams work for each point. She will now face defending Cincinnati champion Iga Swiatek in the next round. Williams, making her 11th appearance in the tournament, acknowledged her control over points but emphasized the need for more consistency in finishing plays. Despite her singles setback, Venus Williams will pair up with her sister Serena in the doubles event after receiving a wild-card entry. The Williams sisters are set to face Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the opening round, with the doubles competition commencing on Sunday. Looking ahead, Venus Williams is also scheduled to compete in mixed doubles at the upcoming U.S. Open alongside Alexander Bublik.