Venus Williams knocked out in opening round in Cincinnati

Venus Williams' return to Cincinnati ended in a first-round defeat Thursday, as the 45-year-old veteran fell 4-6, 4-6 to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Despite rallying from 1-4 down in the opening set, the seven-time Grand Slam champion couldn’t sustain momentum in her second event back on the WTA Tour after a 16-month absence.

Williams had returned to competition in Washington earlier this month, where she won her opening-round match before falling to Magdalena Frech in the second round. In Cincinnati, she showed glimpses of her trademark power but lacked match sharpness against Bouzas Maneiro, the 22-year-old World No. 51.



"I had so much fun out there," Williams said after the match. "I thought she played super well. I just need more matches. I could have played better, but I’m proud I went for it."

Bouzas Maneiro, who notched the biggest win of her career, described the moment as surreal. "She’s a legend. It was a privilege to play against her," she said. "She hits so hard. I had to stay positive and focused the whole time."


This was Williams’ 11th appearance in Cincinnati, where she previously reached the semifinals in 2012. She last played here in 2023, falling in the second round.

Now healthy after undergoing surgery last year to remove uterine fibroids, Williams said she’s grateful to be back: "I’m in a completely different space and I have a clean bill of health, thank God."