Venus Williams singles streak ends at 13 as Cincinnati exit signals shift in form

Venus Williams’s run in singles competition at the Cincinnati Open concluded on Friday with a straight-sets defeat to Colombian qualifier Emiliana Arango. The 46-year-old seven-time Grand Slam winner was beaten 6-2, 6-2 in the first round, extending her current losing streak in singles play to 13 matches.

The loss, which took place on the grandstand court at the Lindner Tennis Center, marks the end of a period of significant difficulty for Williams, who has not secured a singles victory since July 2025. Arango, ranked 95th in the world, completed the match in one hour and five minutes, capitalising on Williams’s inability to convert her sole break point opportunity.

Arango, a 25-year-old qualifier, benefited from a strong start that broke Williams’s serve in the opening game. The Colombian player converted four of five break point chances and won 71 per cent of her first-serve points, while Williams managed only 41 per cent on her first serves. Williams acknowledged the tactical difficulties, noting that while she felt she was controlling the points, she failed to finish them as desired.

Despite the singles exit, Williams will remain in Cincinnati to compete in the doubles draw. She and her sister Serena, who also received a wild-card entry, are set to face Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns in the first round of the doubles competition, which begins on Sunday. This will be the first time the Williams sisters have played doubles together since the 2022 US Open, following a previous withdrawal from Wimbledon due to Serena’s injury.

The defeat leaves Arango to face No 7 seed and defending champion Iga Swiatek in the second round. Williams, making her 11th appearance at the tournament, indicated she remains focused on her upcoming commitments, including a mixed doubles partnership with Alexander Bublik at the US Open later this month.