Sofia Kenin Ends Venus Williams' US Open Run in Record-Late Match

Sofia Kenin defeated Venus Williams 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) in the first round of the US Open, ending a match that did not begin until 12:13 a.m. local time in New York. BBC Sport reported that the contest was the latest-starting match in tournament history and finished at about 2 a.m.

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The schedule was pushed deep into the night because Williams and Kenin followed Mariano Navone's five-set victory over Novak Djokovic on Arthur Ashe Stadium. According to the BBC, fewer than 1,000 spectators remained by the end of the all-American matchup. Williams later said the timing was not ideal for either player and argued that there was room to improve such scheduling.

Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, controlled the opening set before Williams made the second far more competitive. The 46-year-old former world number one generated seven set points but could not convert any of them. She led the tiebreak 6-2, then lost the final six points as Kenin completed the straight-sets victory.

The defeat extended Williams' singles losing streak to 15 matches. BBC Sport reported that she is ranked 618th and has lost 19 of her past 20 singles matches, with her only win in that span coming against Peyton Stearns in Washington in July 2025. Her most recent Grand Slam singles victory came at Wimbledon in 2021.

Williams entered the US Open on a wildcard, her 12th such entry of the season. Grand Slam draws assign eight of their 128 singles places to wildcards, and there is no limit on how many a former major champion may receive. Williams is a seven-time major singles champion and a two-time US Open singles winner.

Her tournament is not over. Williams is scheduled to play women's doubles alongside her sister Serena, and she said her immediate focus was recovering and preparing for that event. When asked about her longer-term future in the sport, she did not commit to a decision.