Venus Williams Suffers 15th Straight Singles Defeat At US Open

Former world number one Venus Williams has suffered another setback at the US Open after losing to fellow American Sofia Kenin in the opening round, extending her singles losing streak to 15 consecutive matches.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the 46-year-old American was defeated 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) by Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, in a contest that ended at approximately 2am local time in New York.

The match started at 12:13am following Mariano Navone’s five-set victory over Novak Djokovic on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The unusually late start became the latest commencement time recorded for a US Open match, with only about 1,000 spectators remaining in the stands by the conclusion.

Williams struggled to establish herself during the opening set but responded strongly in the second, pushing Kenin into a tense tiebreak.

She appeared close to forcing a deciding set 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 seal victory.

Williams later expressed her dissatisfaction with the scheduling of the match, saying she would have preferred an earlier start and arguing that playing at such a late hour was difficult for both competitors.

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.

The former world number one, who is currently ranked 618th, has not secured a Grand Slam singles main-draw place through her ranking since Wimbledon in 2021. That tournament also marked her most recent singles victory at a major championship.

Williams’ continued participation in major tournaments through wildcards has generated debate, particularly as the US Open invitation represents her 12th wildcard of the 2026 season.

However, Grand Slam champions are not subject to a limit on the number of wildcards they can receive, while tournament organisers have continued to recognise Williams’ significant influence and popularity within the sport.

Karl Hale, tournament director of the WTA 1000 event in Toronto, where Williams was also granted a wildcard earlier this month, previously defended the decision to include the veteran star.

He argued that tennis benefits from the presence of legendary players whose careers have had a lasting impact on the sport, noting that continued wildcard invitations reflect their value to tournaments.