After her 6-3 6-3 loss to Anastasia Potapova in the first round of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, Venus Williams remains winless in singles in 2026, with her season record dropping to 0-9.
Last year, Williams made her return to competitive tennis at this very tournament in Washington, and she began her comeback with a victory, defeating Peyton Stearns in the first round before losing to Magdalena Frech in the second. However, it has now been a full year since Williams last won a singles match, with her victory over Stearns remaining her most recent. She has since lost 12 consecutive singles matches.
Against the world No.27 Potapova, Williams failed to earn a single break point and managed just nine winners compared to 19 unforced errors. Potapova, meanwhile, produced a clean and focused performance, hitting 20 winners while committing only eight unforced errors.
Despite the defeat, Williams competed well considering her limited preparation. She had played only one singles match on grass and one on clay before arriving in Washington, making her level of performance a positive sign. However, facing an opponent playing at Potapova’s level proved to be a step too far.
The former world No. 1, who turned 46 last month, is currently ranked No. 664 in the world, compared to No. 643 at this point last year.
Williams remains alive in the doubles draw, where she is partnering with Diana Shnaider. After winning their opening match, the pair is set to face Tang Qianhui and Xu Yifan in the quarterfinals.
