Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Former World No.1 Venus Williams’s struggles continued on her return to the circuit as she lost opening round match at Madrid Open. The 45-year-old Williams lost her 6-2, 6-4 to Kaitlin Quevedo in the first round and became the first former World number one to lose 10 matches in a row since the rankings were first published in 1975.
According to the WTA Tour records, the veteran last won a match in July 2025 when she defeated fellow American Peyton Stearns at the Washington Open.
The American star has won the Wimbledon title five times, triumphing on the hallowed grass courts in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007, and 2008. Besides that, she won the U.S. Open in 2000 and 2001. She holds the record for most appearances at a Grand Slam, with this year’s Australian Open her 95th tournament. The 20-year-old Quevedo of Spain is ranked 140 in the world and was playing in her first WTS 1000 match.
The wildcard came from 3-0 down in the second set to defeat 2010 finalist Williams, who had won six of her eight Grand Slam titles before her opponent was born.
Williams was granted a wild card entry into this year’s Indian Wells tournament, organisers confirmed. The 45-year-old American is scheduled to compete in doubles, too, at the prestigious event in the Southern California desert.
