Lilli Tagger beats Venus Williams in Guangzhou as losing run reaches 16

Lilli Tagger defeated Venus Williams 6-2, 6-2 at the Guangzhou Open on Tuesday, extending the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion's losing streak to 16 matches. According to BBC Sport's Jonathan Jurejko, the 18-year-old Austrian gave up only seven points on serve and did not face a break point against the 46-year-old American.

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The match brought together players separated by 28 years, which BBC Sport reported was the largest age difference in a WTA match this decade and one of the biggest in tour-level history. Williams had already collected six of her seven major singles titles and another 30 WTA tournament titles before Tagger was born in February 2008.

Tagger, ranked 53rd in the world and the winner of the 2025 French Open girls' title, established the same advantage in each set. She broke Williams in the opening game and again to move 5-2 ahead, while protecting her own service games throughout. Her ability to handle Williams' pace and attack from both sides helped her complete the straight-sets victory.

Williams resisted repeatedly on serve, saving 12 of the 16 break points she faced. That effort did not translate into opportunities against Tagger's delivery, however, and the four breaks she conceded decided the contest. The defeat left the former world number one without a singles victory in 13 attempts during 2026; her most recent win came in July 2025.

There was also a connection between Williams and Tagger's coaching team. Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 French Open champion and a former world number four, is the same age as Williams and lost all eight of their career meetings. In comments reported by BBC Sport, Tagger said she had felt both excitement and nerves on seeing the draw, expressed her respect for Williams and said she hoped to be able to compete at that age herself.

Ranked 599th, Williams depends on wildcards to enter WTA events. BBC Sport reported that those invitations have prompted disagreement within tennis over opportunities for younger players and the commercial appeal of an established champion. In Guangzhou, the reception remained enthusiastic: a sizeable crowd encouraged Williams during the match and applauded her departure from the court after the defeat.