Venus Williams Faces Tough Loss at Madrid Open, Extends Losing Streak
Venus Williams' Ongoing Struggles
File image of the American veteran Venus Williams(Photo: @Racquetechie/X)
Madrid, April 22: The challenges continue for former World No. 1 Venus Williams as she returned to competitive tennis. The seasoned American player, who boasts seven Grand Slam titles, suffered her tenth consecutive singles defeat at the Madrid Open on Tuesday.
The 45-year-old athlete lost to Kaitlin Quevedo with a score of 6-2, 6-4 in the opening round, marking a historic low as she became the first former top-ranked player to experience ten straight losses since the inception of rankings in 1975.
As per WTA Tour statistics, Williams last celebrated a victory in July 2025 when she triumphed over fellow American Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open.
Williams has claimed the Wimbledon title five times, achieving victories on the iconic grass courts in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, and 2008. Additionally, she secured the U.S. Open titles in 2000 and 2001. Notably, she holds the record for the most Grand Slam appearances, with this year's Australian Open marking her 95th tournament.
Quevedo, a 20-year-old from Spain, is currently ranked 140th in the world and was participating in her inaugural WTS 1000 match.
The wildcard player made a remarkable comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the second set to defeat Williams, who had won six of her eight Grand Slam titles before Quevedo was even born.
Williams has been granted a wildcard entry for this year's Indian Wells tournament, as confirmed by the organizers. The veteran American is also set to compete in doubles at this prestigious event in Southern California.
On another note, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, fresh off her Sunshine Double sweep and Miami Open title defense, is gearing up for her clay-court season with the aim of defending her 2025 Madrid title.
Sabalenka has historically performed well in Madrid, reaching the finals in four of the last five editions and winning three championships in 2021, 2023, and 2025. Last year, she dropped only one set throughout the tournament.
"I’m always excited to come back to Madrid to feel the atmosphere in the stadium and I think that's the key," Sabalenka expressed during Tuesday's media day. "And the food is incredible. So that's all I care [about]. Support and food,” she added with a laugh.