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In a stunning upset at the US Open, tennis legend Venus Williams, aged 46, was knocked out of the tournament in the first round by wildcard player Sofia Kenin, following a straight-sets defeat. The match, which took place on Monday at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, marked Williams' 96th career Grand Slam main draw appearance, and her latest in a storied career that has seen her claim seven Grand Slam titles.
The 6-2, 7-6(6) loss to Kenin, a 2020 Australian Open champion, saw the American wildcard establish a commanding lead in the opening set. Both players struggled to find their rhythm, resulting in a combined nine double faults in the first set. Despite trailing 3-1, Williams managed to break back to 3-1 but couldn't sustain the momentum as Kenin secured the set with a strong finish.
In the second set, Kenin continued to assert her dominance, reeling off three consecutive games to lead 3-1. While Williams showcased glimpses of her former glory, she was unable to string points together consistently, with her second serve proving to be a significant vulnerability.
Kenin's resilience was on full display when she saved four break points to level the score at 5-5, frustrating Williams with a series of unforced errors. Williams managed to hold for 6-5 before a tense tiebreak decided the match in Kenin's favor. Despite Williams appearing to have the upper hand in the tiebreak, she failed to convert any of her seven set points, as Kenin clung onto the win.
Reflecting on the match, Williams expressed her respect for her opponent but also her disappointment at the late start. "It’s not ideal," she said. "I would have preferred something else, definitely. It wasn’t great for either of us, so I think we both tried our best. I just don’t know any other sport where you have to start that late. I definitely think there’s room for improvement there."
Kenin, now poised to face top-ranked American Jessica Pegula in the next round, was clearly delighted with her victory. "It means a lot," Kenin said. "I've been working really hard, and to get through Venus Williams, a legend, it's really special for me."
The first round also saw a series of upsets, including former champion Daniil Medvedev and Jessica Pegula advancing with relative ease. Medvedev, who struggled in recent tournaments, downed French qualifier Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, regaining confidence after a disappointing run-up to the tournament. "The last couple of weeks were not easy," Medvedev said. "I’m happy that today I managed to produce high-level tennis."
In other notable matches, Barbora Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam champion, became the first seeded player to exit the tournament after losing to Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6(4), 6-2. Italian Jasmine Paolini survived a scare to beat Slovenia's Veronika Erjavec 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, setting up a meeting with compatriot Lucrezia Stefanini. The opening matches saw Jiri Lehecka defeat Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta, and Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk dispatch Australian Storm Hunter 6-4, 6-1.
Unfortunately for fans, the tournament was marred by the withdrawals of former champion Marin Cilic and 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud, both due to injuries. The US Open, with its record prize purse of $108m, continues to attract the world's best players, despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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