By Carew Abdullateef
Sofia Kenin defeated 46-year-old Venus Williams 6-2, 7-6(6) in the first round of the US Open on Monday, winning a historic encounter that did not begin until 12:13 a.m., the latest start time in tournament history.
The two American wild cards, both former Grand Slam champions, had to wait through Novak Djokovic’s four-hour, 36-minute five-set loss to Mariano Navone before taking to the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Despite the late hour, a large crowd remained at the venue for another chance to watch Williams, who was competing in her 26th US Open main draw.
Kenin took control from the start, winning the opening set in just 32 minutes. Williams fought back in the second set after falling 4-2 behind and saved multiple break points to force a tiebreak.
Kenin stayed composed when it mattered most, eventually closing out the match on her second match point in the tiebreak.
Kenin finished with 28 winners and 21 unforced errors, while Williams recorded 13 winners and committed 24 unforced errors.
The match ended at 2:01 a.m., making it the latest finish for a first-round match in US Open history and the third-latest finish for a women’s match at any stage of the tournament.
The defeat extended Williams’ losing streak in singles to 15 consecutive matches, dating back to July 2025. She last won a first-round singles match at the US Open in 2019.
Asked about her future after the defeat, Williams said, “I don’t think I should have to” think about it, adding that her focus was on recovering for doubles action alongside her sister Serena later in the tournament.
Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, advances to the second round where she will face No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula.
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