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Venus Williams Exits U.S. Open in First Round After Record-Late Start
Venus Williams lost to Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-6 (6) in the S. Open first round, a match that began at 12:13 m. and ended at 2:01 , setting records for the latest start and finish in tournament history. Williams, 46, has now lost 15 consecutive singles matches (some outlets report 14) and is scheduled to play doubles with sister Serena later in the week.
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Venus Williams Exits S. Open in First Round After Record-Late Start
NEW YORK — Venus Williams' 26th S. Open singles campaign came to an end in the early hours of Monday morning as she fell to fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-2, 7-6 (6) in the first round at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The match did not begin until 12:13 , following a lengthy delay caused by Novak Djokovic's five-set defeat to Mariano Navone, which lasted four hours and 36 minutes. That start time set a new record for the latest start to a match in S. Open history, six minutes later than the previous mark set by Aryna Sabalenka against Ekaterina Alexandrova in 2024. The match concluded at 2:01 , making it the latest finish for a first-round match in tournament history and the third-latest for a women's match at any stage.
Williams, 46, a wild card playing in her 96th career Grand Slam main draw appearance, has now lost six consecutive matches at the S. Open since her last win there in the first round in 2019. Reports differ on her overall singles form: some outlets list this as her 14th consecutive singles defeat, while others state it as her 15th, both dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025. The discrepancy was not resolved in the coverage.
Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, broke serve in the opening game and never trailed in the first set, taking it in just 32 minutes. Williams rallied in the second, coming back from 4-2 down to force a tiebreak, but could not convert any of her seven set points. Kenin saved four break points at 5-5 before closing out the win. Kenin will next face top-ranked American Jessica Pegula.
After the match, Williams, who won seven Grand Slam singles titles — including back-to-back S. Open championships in 2000 and 2001 and five Wimbledon titles from 2000 to 2008 — was not ready to discuss her future. "I don't think I should have to," she told reporters. "My mind is fully focused on that: how I recover from this completely insane evening and get ready for the next one." She is scheduled to play doubles with her sister Serena later in the tournament after the pair received a wild-card entry. The sisters have won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles together, including the S. Open in 1999 and 2009.
Kenin, 27, acknowledged the difficulty of the match. "Venus obviously was playing some amazing tennis," she said. "I just tried to keep fighting. I didn't feel 100% game-wise, some nerves, but I tried to do the best to stay strong in those moments."
The unusually late start, which pushed the match past midnight, drew a sizable contingent of fans who stayed on for one more look at Williams. Both players struggled at times, combining for nine double faults, with Williams' second serve proving especially costly. Williams showed flashes of her former form but could not sustain them, and she was left screaming in frustration after handing Kenin a game with unforced errors in the second set.
The match could prove to be Williams' final singles appearance at a Grand Slam, though she has not confirmed any retirement plans. Her focus, she said, remains on recovery and the upcoming doubles competition with her sister.
How each outlet told it
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Framing: Venus Williams's 26th US Open ends with a first-round loss to Sofia Kenin
Facts Included:
Venus Williams lost her 26th US Open singles match early Monday morning.
She fell in straight sets to fellow American Sofia Kenin after a very late start.
The match concluded as the latest first-round finish in US Open history.
Williams was not ready to discuss her future in tennis after the defeat.
She will next compete in doubles with her sister Serena later this week.
The 46-year-old lost 6-2, 7-6 (6).
It was Williams' 15th consecutive singles defeat dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025.
Williams has now lost six in a row at the US Open since winning in the first round in 2019.
Williams told reporters: "I don't think I should have to."
Williams said: "My mind is fully focused on that: how I recover from this completely insane evening and get ready for the next one."
The match was delayed by Novak Djokovic's 4-hour, 36-minute defeat to Mariano Navone.
At 12:13, it was the latest start to a match at the US Open, six minutes later than the previous record of Aryna Sabalenka against Ekaterina Alexandrova in 2024.
Williams said: "It's not ideal."
Kenin needed just 32 minutes to win the first set.
Williams rallied from down 4-2 to force a tiebreak before losing several set points and striking the ball into the net to end it.
Kenin said: "Venus obviously was playing some amazing tennis."
Concluding at 2:01, it became the latest finish for a first-round match in US Open history.
It is the third-latest for a women's match at any stage of the tournament.
Williams said: "I had a lot of great moments."
Williams is a quarter-century removed from her second of back-to-back championships in New York.
She also won Wimbledon five times from 2000-08 to give her seven Grand Slam singles titles.
Williams said: "I always try to appreciate it, but it is definitely all business and there's no room for error."
Framing: Emphasizes Venus Williams's exit from her 26th U.S. Open in the first round.
Facts Included:
Venus Williams bowed out of her 26th U.S. Open singles appearance early Monday morning, falling in straight sets to fellow American wild card Sofia Kenin.
The 46-year-old lost 6-2, 7-6 (6).
It was Williams’ 14th consecutive singles defeat dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025.
Williams has now lost six in a row at the U.S. Open since winning in the first round in 2019.
The match was delayed by Novak Djokovic’s 4-hour, 36-minute defeat to Mariano Navone.
At 12:13 a.m., it was the latest start to a match at the U.S. Open, six minutes later than the previous record of Aryna Sabalenka against Ekaterina Alexandrova in 2024.
Kenin needed just 32 minutes to win the first set.
Williams rallied from down 4-2 to force a tiebreak before losing several set points and striking the ball into the net to end it.
Concluding at 2:01 a.m., it became the latest finish for a first-round match in U.S. Open history.
It is the third-latest for a women’s match at any stage of the tournament.
Williams is a quarter-century removed from her second of back-to-back championships in New York.
She also won Wimbledon five times from 2000-08 to give her seven Grand Slam singles titles.
Framing: Venus Williams's criticism of the late-night start is the headline focus, framing the match around her post-match comments rather than the result. — sympathetic to Williams's complaint about the late start, while also reporting the match details neutrally.
Facts Included:
Sofia Kenin beat Venus Williams 6-2 7-6(6) in a US Open first-round match
Kenin is the 2020 Australian Open champion
Kenin will next face top-ranked American Jessica Pegula
The match at Arthur Ashe Stadium got underway after Novak Djokovic's five-set defeat by Mariano Navone
Williams was playing as a wild card in her 96th career Grand Slam main draw appearance
Williams said: 'It's not ideal. I would have preferred something else definitely. It wasn't great for either of us, so I think we both tried our best.'
Williams said: 'I just don't know any other sport where you have to start that late. I definitely think there's room for improvement there. It's not easy to do in the first round. It's not easy to do it at 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning to try to find your rhythm and play your best, but I tried my best.'
Kenin broke serve in the opening game and never trailed in the first set, racing to a 3-0 lead as both players struggled to find their rhythm, combining for nine double faults
Williams broke back to love to trim the deficit to 3-1 but dropped serve again as Kenin pulled away to close out the set
Kenin reeled off three straight games to lead 3-1 in the second set
Kenin saved four break points to level at 5-5, leaving Williams screaming in frustration at handing her opponent another game with unforced errors
Williams held for 6-5 before Kenin forced a tiebreak
Williams could not convert any of her seven set points in the tiebreak, as Kenin dug in to close out the win
Framing: Venus Williams's exit from her 26th US Open with a first-round loss
Facts Included:
Venus Williams bowed out of her 26th U.S. Open singles appearance early Monday morning, falling in straight sets to fellow American wild card Sofia Kenin after not getting on the court until midnight.
The 46-year-old lost 6-2, 7-6 (6) in what could be the final singles match at a Grand Slam, if not her illustrious career.
It was Williams' 14th consecutive singles defeat dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025.
Williams has now lost six in a row at the U.S. Open since winning in the first round in 2019.
With doubles coming up later this week with sister Serena, Venus was not ready to contemplate her future in tennis.
“I don’t think I should have to,” Williams told a small group of reporters after the match.
“My mind is fully focused on that: how I recover from this completely insane evening and get ready for the next one.”
She and her 27-year-old opponent waited extraordinarily long to take the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium, delayed by Novak Djokovic's 4-hour, 36-minute defeat to Mariano Navone that threatened to move them next door to Louis Armstrong Stadium.
At 12:13 a.m., it was the latest start to a match at the U.S. Open, six minutes later than the previous record of Aryna Sabalenka against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the round of 32 in 2024.
“It’s not ideal,” Williams said. “I would have preferred something else, definitely. It wasn’t great for either of us, so I think we both tried our best.”
Kenin needed just 32 minutes to win the first set, but Williams took advantage of mistakes and made some shots in the second that gave the late-staying crowd reason to cheer, rallying from down 4-2 to force a tiebreak before losing several set points and striking the ball into the net to end it.
“Venus obviously was playing some amazing tennis,” Kenin said. “I just tried to keep fighting. I didn’t feel 100% game-wise, some nerves, but I tried to do the best to stay strong in those moments.”
Concluding at 2:01 a.m., it became the latest finish for a first-round match in U.S. Open history.
It is the third-latest for a women's match at any stage of the tournament.
“I had a lot of great moments,” Williams said. “As the match progressed, I just kept pushing myself to try to find my best tennis and to find my rhythm. It’s not easy to do in the first round. It’s not easy to do at 1 or 2 a.m. in the morning to try to find your rhythm and play your best, but I tried my best.”
Williams is a quarter-century removed from her second of back-to-back championships in New York.
She also won Wimbledon five times from 2000-08 to give her seven Grand Slam singles titles.
Williams and sister Serena won 14 in doubles, including the U.S. Open in 1999 and 2009.
They are expected to compete in doubles again this year after receiving a wild-card entry.
“I always try to appreciate it, but it is definitely all business and there’s no room for error,” Williams said. “Try to soak it in, and soaking it in is more fun when the ball’s going in.”
Framing: Venus Williams' 26th US Open ends with a first-round loss to Sofia Kenin
Facts Included:
Venus Williams lost 6-2, 7-6 (6) to Sofia Kenin in the first round of the US Open.
Williams is 46 years old.
This was Williams' 15th consecutive singles defeat dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025.
Williams has lost six in a row at the US Open since winning in the first round in 2019.
Williams will play doubles later this week with her sister Serena.
The match was delayed by Novak Djokovic's 4-hour, 36-minute defeat to Mariano Navone.
The match started at 12:13 a.m., the latest start to a match at the US Open, six minutes later than the previous record set by Aryna Sabalenka against Ekaterina Alexandrova in 2024.
Kenin needed 32 minutes to win the first set.
Williams rallied from down 4-2 in the second set to force a tiebreak before losing several set points and striking the ball into the net to end it.
The match concluded at 2:01 a.m., the latest finish for a first-round match in US Open history and the third-latest for a women's match at any stage.
Williams is a quarter-century removed from her second of back-to-back US Open championships.
Williams won Wimbledon five times from 2000-08, giving her seven Grand Slam singles titles.
Framing: Venus Williams exits US Open after straight
Facts Included:
Venus Williams was knocked out of the women's singles tournament at the US Open 2026 after a straight-set defeat against Sofia Kenin in the first round.
Williams went down 2-6, 6-7(6) against Kenin at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Kenin dominated the opening set, wrapping it up 6-2 in 32 minutes.
Williams recovered from a 2-4 deficit in the second set to force a tie-break, but Kenin held her nerve to seal the victory.
The match concluded after the marathon encounter between Novak Djokovic and Mariano Navone that lasted four hours and 36 minutes.
The defeat marked Williams' 14th consecutive singles loss.
Her last singles victory came in July 2025.
Williams was making her 26th appearance in the tournament's main draw and her 96th Grand Slam appearance.
Williams will continue in the women's doubles event, partnering with her sister Serena Williams.
The duo received wildcards for the tournament.
The loss dropped Williams' record to 0-12 for the season and marked her fifth consecutive opening-round loss at the US Open, according to the WTA website.
Kenin finished with 28 winners and 21 unforced errors, while Williams hit 13 winners and committed 24 unforced errors.
It was only Kenin's sixth main-draw win at the WTA level in 2026.
Kenin will face No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula, who defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2.
Novak Djokovic suffered a shocking first-round exit, defeated 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 by Mariano Navone.
The first-round loss ended Djokovic's record of advancing past the opening round of a major since the 2006 Australian Open, according to the ATP Website.
Framing: The headline emphasizes the late-night timing of Venus Williams' exit, highlighting the 2am finish and the record-late start. — The tone is measured, with a mix of admiration for Williams' longevity and a neutral reporting of the match outcome and wildcard debate.
Facts Included:
Venus Williams was beaten 6-2, 7-6 (6) by fellow American wildcard Sofia Kenin in their first-round encounter after 1hr 48min
The first ball was struck at 13am, the latest start to a match in US Open history
Williams is 46 years old, ranked 611th in the world, and making her record-extending 26th US Open singles appearance
Williams' losing streak at tour level extended to 15 matches, and she has not won a major since Wimbledon in 2021
Kenin is the 2020 Australian Open champion and also reached the Roland Garros final later that year
Kenin won 61% of points behind Williams' second serve
Kenin finished with more than twice as many winners (28) as Williams (13)
Williams is scheduled to play alongside her sister Serena in the women's doubles starting Thursday
A first-round loser at this year's US Open earns $140,000
Craig Tiley, the US Open's incoming tournament director, said: 'In our view, Venus deserved a wildcard'
Williams made her debut here as a 17-year-old in 1997, becoming the first unseeded player in the Open era to reach the final before losing to Martina Hingis
Williams has been world No 1 in singles and doubles, won four Olympic gold medals and 14 grand slam doubles titles in addition to the seven in singles
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Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status is Contested when two claims on this page negate each other; otherwise it counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimVenus Williams lost to Sofia Kenin in the first round of the US Open.