Venus Williams' Winless Streak Reaches 16 Matches After Guangzhou Open Loss
The 46-year-old American was defeated by 18-year-old Lilli Tagger in straight sets.
Former world number one Venus Williams has extended her losing streak to 16 matches following a defeat to 18-year-old Lilli Tagger at the Guangzhou Open. Tagger, who was born in February 2008, was just a toddler when Williams was winning Grand Slam titles.
Tagger, currently ranked 53rd in the world, expressed excitement and nerves ahead of the match, stating her respect for Williams. "It is funny she used to play with my coach," Tagger said, referring to Francesca Schiavone, who is the same age as Williams and had a win-loss record of 0-8 against the American during her career.
While the scoreline was straight sets, Williams reportedly made Tagger work for the victory. The teenager, who won the 2025 French Open girls' championship, displayed a strong serve, dropping only seven service points and never facing a break point. Tagger effectively handled Williams' pace and powerful groundstrokes, breaking her opponent's serve twice in each set to secure the win.
Williams, a veteran of the sport, managed to save 12 of 16 break points and showed her characteristic competitive spirit throughout the match. However, the result highlights the current gap between Williams and the rest of the professional tour.