Venus Williams Exits US Open After Late-Night Defeat to Sofia Kenin

Venus Williams suffered a straight-sets defeat to compatriot Sofia Kenin in New York on August 31, 2026, during a historic US Open first-round match that began past midnight. Playing as a wildcard in her 96th career Grand Slam main draw appearance at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 46-year-old fell 6-2, 7-6(6) in the latest start in women’s tournament history.

The match commenced following Novak Djokovic’s five-set loss to Mariano Navone, with dedicated fans remaining late into the night. "It was extremely late," Williams remarked to reporters, expressing gratitude for the supporters who stayed. Kenin seized an early advantage by breaking serve in the opening game and securing a 3-0 lead. Although Williams rallied with enthusiastic crowd backing, Kenin maintained control to claim the first set.

In the second set, Kenin established a 3-1 lead before Williams fought back. Despite squandering seven set points in a hard-fought tiebreak, Williams ultimately succumbed to Kenin's resilience. Kenin acknowledged the challenging conditions and will advance to face Jessica Pegula in the next round.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Daniil Medvedev defeated Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4, while Jessica Pegula overcame Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2. Barbora Krejcikova became the first seeded player to exit, falling to Kamilla Rakhimova. Other victors included Jasmine Paolini, Jiri Lehecka, Marta Kostyuk, and Elina Svitolina, while Marin Cilic and Casper Ruud withdrew due to injuries.