Venus Williams Loses in Stunning US Open Exit
The Venus Williams US Open comeback ended in disappointment Monday morning as the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion fell to fellow American Sofia Kenin in the first round at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Kenin won 6-2, 7-6(6) in a match that did not begin until 12:13 a.m., making it the latest start for a women’s match in US Open history.
At 46, Williams was competing in her record-extending 26th US Open main draw. She entered the tournament as a wildcard and attracted a large crowd despite the extraordinarily late hour.
Williams eventually produced a spirited comeback in the second set. She recovered from 4-2 down, moved ahead 5-4 and later led 6-2 in the tiebreak. Yet Kenin saved all four of those set points and eventually converted her first match point to complete the victory in 1 hour and 48 minutes.
The result ends Williams’ singles campaign at this year’s tournament, although she is still scheduled to compete in women’s doubles with her sister Serena Williams later in the week.
Venus Williams US Open Match Ends After Midnight
The circumstances surrounding the Venus Williams US Open match were unusual even before the first ball was struck.
Williams and Kenin were scheduled for the night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium. However, the preceding men’s match between Novak Djokovic and Mariano Navone lasted four hours and 36 minutes, pushing the women’s contest deep into the early morning.
The Williams-Kenin match finally began at 12:13 a.m. Monday.
That made it the latest-starting women’s match in US Open history. A sizable group of spectators remained inside Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch Williams, a two-time US Open singles champion and one of the most influential players in modern tennis.
For a player who has spent more than two decades competing on tennis’ biggest stages, the unusual scheduling added another memorable chapter to an already remarkable career.
Sofia Kenin Controls the First Set
Kenin immediately looked more comfortable.
The 27-year-old American broke early and established a 3-0 advantage. Williams recovered one of the breaks to make it 3-2, but Kenin remained in control and prevented the veteran from building momentum.
Kenin eventually closed out the opening set 6-2.
Statistics showed one of the major differences between the players. Williams won only 45% of her second-serve points, compared with 59% for Kenin. Williams also committed six double faults during the match, while Kenin had four.
The first set therefore appeared to be heading toward a straightforward Kenin victory.
But Williams had other ideas.
Venus Williams Launches a Remarkable Comeback
The second set became dramatically different.
Kenin broke early and moved ahead 3-1. She later had a break point while Williams served at 2-4, putting the seven-time major champion in serious danger of falling in straight sets.
Instead, Williams fought back.
She saved the break point and then won three consecutive games to move ahead 5-4. The comeback gave the crowd another opportunity to see the aggressive tennis that made Williams one of the sport’s defining figures.
At 5-4, Williams had three set points on Kenin’s serve.
She could not convert them.
Kenin held, and Williams then faced another difficult service game at 5-5. She saved four break points to hold for 6-5, keeping herself alive and forcing Kenin to serve to stay in the set.
Kenin responded by holding comfortably.
That sent the second set into a tiebreak.
Williams Leads the Tiebreak but Kenin Survives
The tiebreak appeared to be Williams’ biggest opportunity.
She raced ahead 6-2, putting herself just two points away from forcing a deciding set.
Four set points followed.
Kenin saved every one.
The pressure then shifted back to Williams. After fighting through multiple difficult moments, Kenin earned her first match point and converted it to win the tiebreak 9-7.
The final score was 6-2, 7-6(6).
The match lasted 1 hour and 48 minutes.
Kenin’s ability to remain composed after falling behind in the tiebreak ultimately decided the contest.
Kenin Advances to Face Jessica Pegula
Kenin’s reward for surviving Williams is a second-round meeting with another American star, Jessica Pegula.
Pegula entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed and defeated Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2 in the first round.
That creates another intriguing all-American matchup for Kenin.
Pegula is also one of the players with a mathematical opportunity to challenge for the world No. 1 ranking during the tournament. She will now face Kenin, who enters the second round with significant momentum after eliminating Williams.
For Kenin, the victory is particularly valuable because it came against a player who still has enormous experience on the US Open stage.
A Historic 26th US Open Appearance for Williams
Regardless of the result, the Venus Williams US Open campaign represented another extraordinary milestone.
Williams was playing in her 26th US Open main draw, extending her record for appearances at the tournament. She also entered the match with 96 Grand Slam main-draw appearances in her career.
Her US Open history stretches back more than two decades.
Williams won the tournament in 2000 and 2001, becoming one of the dominant forces of the early 2000s. She has also reached the final several other times and built one of the most decorated careers in women’s tennis.
Her latest appearance was therefore about more than one match.
It was another opportunity for fans to watch a player whose career has helped shape the modern game.
The Defeat Extends Williams’ Losing Streak
The loss to Kenin also extended a difficult recent run for Williams.
According to the latest reports, the defeat was her 15th consecutive singles loss at tour level, dating back to her last singles victory in Washington in July 2025. She has also now lost six consecutive matches at the US Open since winning her opening-round match in 2019.
Those numbers contrast sharply with Williams’ historic career achievements.
She has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals, while spending years among the world’s top-ranked players.
Yet the modern game has presented a very different challenge.
At 46, Williams is competing against players who are often much younger and have grown up with modern sports science, equipment and playing styles.
Williams’ Serve Remains a Major Weapon
Even at this stage of her career, Williams showed flashes of the qualities that made her famous.
Her first serve remains one of the most recognizable weapons in tennis. She also continued to attack from the baseline and use her experience to change the rhythm of points.
The statistics, however, show where Kenin gained an advantage.
Williams won 66% of her first-serve points, while Kenin won 65%. On second serves, however, the gap was considerably larger.
Kenin won 59% of her second-serve points compared with 45% for Williams. Kenin also won 55% of Williams’ second-serve return points.
Those small margins became important during the tight second set.
The Late Start Creates a Major Talking Point
The scheduling of the Venus Williams US Open match quickly became one of the biggest stories surrounding the contest.
Starting at 12:13 a.m. is unusual for any professional tennis match, particularly at a Grand Slam.
Williams later expressed frustration with the timing, saying the conditions were not ideal for either player. The match eventually finished shortly after 2 a.m. local time.
The delay was largely caused by the extraordinary length of the Djokovic-Navone match earlier in the night.
Djokovic’s five-set defeat lasted four hours and 36 minutes, creating a scheduling domino effect at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Although late-night tennis has become part of the US Open’s identity, the timing raised questions about player welfare and whether a 46-year-old veteran should be asked to begin a Grand Slam singles match after midnight.
Could This Be Venus Williams’ Final Grand Slam Singles Match?
The defeat naturally raises questions about Williams’ future.
At 46, every Grand Slam appearance carries additional significance. This could potentially be her final singles match at a major tournament, although Williams has not announced her retirement.
After the loss, she did not appear ready to make a definitive statement about the end of her singles career.
Instead, her immediate focus remains on doubles.
Williams is scheduled to team up with Serena Williams, giving fans another opportunity to watch the legendary sisters compete together.
That doubles appearance could become one of the most anticipated moments of the tournament.
Venus and Serena Still Have More Tennis Ahead
The Williams sisters have created one of the most successful partnerships in tennis history.
Together, Venus and Serena have won 14 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and three Olympic doubles gold medals.
Their return to the doubles court at the 2026 US Open gives fans a chance to see the sisters compete together again at one of the sport’s biggest venues.
For Venus, the doubles tournament may also provide an opportunity to finish her US Open campaign on a more positive note.
The singles loss was painful, but it does not necessarily represent the end of her tournament.
Sofia Kenin Shows Composure Under Pressure
Kenin deserves significant credit for the victory.
The former Australian Open champion faced enormous pressure after losing control of the second-set tiebreak. Williams had four set points at 6-2, and many players could have allowed the moment to overwhelm them.
Kenin did not.
She stayed aggressive, saved all four set points and eventually finished the match.
Her performance demonstrated the mental toughness that helped her reach the Australian Open title in 2020.
The victory could also provide an important confidence boost as she continues her own career resurgence.
A Memorable Night at Arthur Ashe Stadium
The match between Williams and Kenin will likely be remembered for several reasons.
It was Williams’ 26th US Open appearance.
It began at 12:13 a.m.
It lasted nearly two hours.
Williams came back from 4-2 down in the second set and led 6-2 in the tiebreak.
Kenin saved four set points and won the final six points of the match to complete the victory.
Those circumstances created a dramatic final chapter to Williams’ singles campaign.
Even in defeat, the 46-year-old received a strong reception from the remaining fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
What the Result Means for the US Open
Kenin’s victory adds another unexpected storyline to an already dramatic opening day at the 2026 US Open.
The tournament also saw Novak Djokovic suffer a first-round defeat to Mariano Navone, while several seeded players advanced and others were eliminated.
With Williams now out of the singles draw, attention will turn toward Kenin’s second-round meeting with Pegula.
For the American tennis fans who stayed awake into the early morning, however, the biggest memory may be seeing Williams compete once again on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.
Conclusion
The Venus Williams US Open singles journey has ended after a dramatic first-round defeat to Sofia Kenin.
Kenin won 6-2, 7-6(6), but the scoreline does not fully capture how close the second set became. Williams fought back from 4-2 down, earned multiple set points and built a 6-2 lead in the tiebreak before Kenin produced a remarkable comeback of her own.
The match began at 12:13 a.m., making it the latest women’s match start in US Open history. Despite the difficult scheduling, fans stayed to support Williams during her record-extending 26th appearance at the tournament.
Williams’ singles future remains uncertain.
At 46, she has nothing left to prove. Her seven Grand Slam singles titles, Olympic achievements and enormous influence on tennis have already secured her place among the sport’s greatest players.
But her 2026 US Open story is not necessarily finished.
Williams will still have doubles competition with Serena, giving the tennis world another chance to see the legendary sisters together.
For Kenin, meanwhile, the victory provides an opportunity to continue her tournament against Pegula.
One chapter of Venus Williams’ remarkable career may be approaching its final pages, but the applause inside Arthur Ashe Stadium showed that her impact on tennis remains as powerful as ever.
