Thousands of dedicated tennis fans remained inside Arthur Ashe Stadium well past midnight to watch Venus Williams compete in the first round of the US Open. The 46-year-old icon ultimately suffered a brutal 6-2, 7-6 defeat to Sofia Kenin in the middle of the night. This extreme scheduling decision quickly sparked a blunt critique from the legendary American superstar.

Williams explicitly voiced her sheer displeasure regarding the tournament’s operational choices.

“It was extremely late. I’ve never played a match that late before. It’s not ideal. I would have preferred something else. I think it wasn’t great for either of us. I definitely think there’s room for improvement there,” said Venus Williams after creating a record.

The unprecedented delay stemmed directly from a grueling men’s matchup earlier in the evening. The highly anticipated clash officially began at 12:13 a.m. on Monday, officially marking the most delayed match start in US Open history. The massive delay occurred because Novak Djokovic and Mariano Navone battled for an exhausting 4 hours and 36 minutes beforehand. This massive waiting period left the veteran struggling to find her initial rhythm on the court.

Kenin immediately capitalized on the situation by securing an early break and rapidly building a commanding 3-0 advantage. Williams successfully pulled one break back, but Kenin instantly responded to decisively close the opening set 6-2 in just 32 minutes. The massive early deficit forced the seven-time Grand Slam champion to mount a desperate comeback attempt in the second set.

Kenin broke very early and quickly moved 3-0 ahead, putting Williams under pressure. Williams pulled one break back, but Kenin responded and closed the opening set 6-2. The set lasted only 32 minutes, leaving Williams needing a response after the poor start.

The immediate response failed to materialize as Kenin broke early once again to secure a 3-1 lead. Williams miraculously found her elite rhythm, storming back to win three consecutive games and snatch a 5-4 advantage while generating three crucial set points. The dramatic momentum shift ultimately pushed the second set into a highly tense tiebreak.

Williams raced to a commanding 6-2 lead in the tiebreak, earning four additional set points before completely stalling out. Kenin displayed massive mental resilience by rattling off six consecutive points to complete the stunning comeback and close out the match 8-6.

This grueling conclusion prompted the legendary veteran to reflect on her opponent’s brilliant performance.

Venus Williams tips her hat to Kenin after Round 1 loss

Williams firmly maintained her elite sportsmanship despite her clear frustration with the tournament’s midnight scheduling. She explicitly refused to utilize the late start as an absolute excuse, instead choosing to heavily praise her opponent’s dominant baseline execution.

“I think she played well… I think it was just a little bit unlucky, and I think it’s some of the best tennis she’s played lately, for sure,” the tennis legend stated. The veteran graciously acknowledged that the early deficit proved too massive to overcome.

The 46-year-old icon admitted she surrendered a few loose points but firmly felt she did not simply give the match away. Kenin simply brought her absolute best tennis from the opening serve, breaking in the very first game and storming to a 3-0 lead without looking troubled. This relentless pressure forced the legendary superstar into a massive secondary hole.

Kenin effortlessly carried her elite control into the second set by capturing three straight games before Williams finally started fighting back. The seven-time Grand Slam champion showed brilliant flashes of her old championship level but struggled to maintain that precise rhythm. The 2020 Australian Open champion utilized a massive defensive stand to secure her ticket to the next round.

Kenin stayed incredibly composed under immense pressure, systematically saving all seven set points Williams generated throughout the dramatic second set. This straight-sets victory officially ended Williams’ historic US Open run in the very first round. Kenin will now face top-ranked American Jessica Pegula as the 2026 US Open officially progresses into early September.