Emiliana Arango beat Venus Williams 6-2, 6-2 at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters on Friday, finishing the match in just 66 minutes and extending Williams's losing streak to 14 straight losses.
The result was another difficult step for Williams, who is 46 years old and has been competing this season on wild card entries from organizers. Her last victory came in July of last year, and the skid now stretches across a long stretch of comeback attempts.
For Arango, the win was a straightforward one. She controlled the match from the start and never allowed Williams to settle into a rhythm. The scoreline reflected that control, with Arango moving through both sets in the same 6-2 pattern.
Williams still searching for a breakthrough
The Cincinnati event has been a familiar stage for Williams over the years. A dozen years ago, she reached a semi-final there, but this latest appearance again showed how difficult the current season has been. Entering on a wild card, Williams has been trying to use tournament opportunities to find form, but the results have not turned in her favor.
The loss also comes with the US Open looming. Cincinnati is the last major warm-up before the 30 August US Open, so this was a chance for Williams to build momentum. Instead, the defeat adds to the pressure around her next appearance and keeps the focus on whether she can still find a win this season.
More early-round results in Cincinnati
Arango's win was one of several notable results at the event. Sara Bejlek also advanced with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Karolina Pliskova. On the men's side, Grigor Dimitrov lost to Sebastian Baez 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, while Stefanos Tsitsipas opened with a 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 victory over Valentin Royer.
Interest was high around Dimitrov and Tsitsipas because the seeds were only going into action from Saturday. Tsitsipas said he was trying to come to the net as much as possible and capture short balls inside the baseline, adding that his offensive strategy and composure were strong throughout the match.
For Williams, though, the story remained the same: another tournament, another loss, and another reminder that the road back has been far tougher than the sport once made it look.
