Venus Williams’s singles losing streak has extended to 13 matches following her defeat by Emiliana Arango at the Cincinnati Open. The seven-time major champion, aged 46, entered the WTA 1000 event on a wild-card entry and has not secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier from Colombia ranked 95th, triumphed over Williams in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, at the Lindner Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
The match saw Arango swiftly take control by breaking Williams’ serve in the opening game, setting the tone for her dominance throughout the encounter. Arango capitalized on 80% of her break point opportunities and claimed victory by winning 71% of her first-serve points. In contrast, Williams struggled to convert her lone break chance and only managed to win 41% of her first-serve points.
Reflecting on her performance, Arango credited her early lead for calming her nerves and emphasized her focus on making Williams play more. Arango is set to face the 7th seed and defending Cincinnati champion, Iga Swiatek, in the second round.
Williams’s last singles triumph was at the Washington tournament last year, where she defeated Peyton Stearns. Despite feeling in control of her shots, Williams acknowledged the need for improved consistency to close out points effectively. This year marks Williams’s 11th appearance at the Cincinnati tournament.
Following her singles match, Williams announced her participation in the doubles event alongside her sister, Serena, after receiving a wild-card entry. The Williams sisters are scheduled to face Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the first round of doubles, with the tournament commencing on Sunday. Looking ahead, Venus Williams expressed excitement for the upcoming doubles matches and her mixed doubles partnership with Alexander Bublik at the U.S. Open later this month.