Venus Williams' campaign at the US Open concluded in the first round following a late-night 6-2, 7-6 defeat to fellow American Sofia Kenin. The match, which finished after 2 a.m. local time on August 31, 2026, saw Williams, 46, mount a significant comeback attempt in the second set before ultimately falling.
After dropping the first set, Williams battled back from a 4-2 deficit in the second, earning seven set points. However, Kenin secured the final six points of the match to clinch the victory.
Williams had been awarded a wild card into the singles draw. Initially, the USTA reserved one spot, which could have gone to her sister Serena had she chosen to compete in singles. Serena, 44, opted to focus on doubles this year, leading the USTA to grant the final wild card to Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion.
Despite her singles exit, Williams will continue her US Open presence in the doubles competition alongside her sister Serena. The Williams sisters have a storied history at the tournament, having won the US Open doubles title in 1999 and 2009. They have compiled a 27-7 record in nine previous doubles appearances together at Flushing Meadows.
Their last doubles appearance at the US Open was in 2022, which was widely anticipated to be Serena's final match. Serena recently returned to tennis after a four-year hiatus, and the sisters had been scheduled to play at Wimbledon this summer before Serena withdrew due to a knee injury. They also competed in the Cincinnati Open, losing in the first round.
On Tuesday, Serena partnered with Carlos Alcaraz in mixed doubles, reaching the quarterfinals.