Venus Williams’ run at the 2026 Madrid Open has come to an end at the very first hurdle.
The five-time Wimbledon singles champion has now lost 10 consecutive singles matches on the WTA Tour.
In fact, Venus is now the first former world number one to lose 10 consecutive singles matches.
Will Venus Williams ever win another singles match?
That's 10 defeats in a row…
Since making her return to the Tour last July, Venus has received a plethora of wildcards from major WTA events.
This strategy now needs to be altered following the American’s latest defeat.
Venus Williams should be offered doubles-only wildcards moving forward
Venus is a great of the game: an icon who is one of the most beloved figures in sporting history.
Her presence at WTA events undoubtedly encourages tennis fans to attend, improving the atmosphere and quality of said WTA tournaments.
However, the element of meritocracy has now come into play following Venus’ latest defeat.
Venus’ defeat to world number 140 Kaitlin Quevedo marked her 10th consecutive defeat on the WTA Tour, stretching back to the 2025 Washington Open.
Simply put, it is time for WTA tournament organisers to start giving singles wildcards to aspiring WTA prospects, rather than Venus Williams.
By calling for this decision to be made, one does not intend to disparage Venus or her legacy: she remains one of the greatest players in tennis history and an individual who is an inspiration to millions across the globe.
With that being said, Venus is now failing to justify receiving wildcards for major WTA events.
| Tournament | Opponent | Result |
| Washington Open | Peyton Stearns | Won |
| Washington Open | Magdalena Frech | Lost |
| Cincinnati Open | Jessica Bouzas Maneiro | Lost |
| US Open | Karolina Muchova | Lost |
| ASB Classic | Magda Linette | Lost |
| Hobart International | Tatjana Maria | Lost |
| Australian Open | Olga Danilova | Lost |
| ATX Open | Alja Tomljanovic | Lost |
| Indian Wells | Diane Parry | Lost |
| Miami Open | Francesca Jones | Lost |
| Madrid Open | Kaitlin Quevedo | Lost |
There is a solution to this matter.
Fans still want to see Venus at WTA events; and with the American having achieved success in the doubles format since making her return, she should continue to receive wildcards for WTA doubles events.
Venus has more than proven that she is capable of triumphing in doubles, as demonstrated by her run to the 2025 US Open Women’s Doubles quarter-finals.
No one wants to see Venus absent from WTA events while she is still competing on the Tour. However, as argued already, the time has come for Venus to be offered doubles-only wildcards.
It’s the end of the 2026 season… How many matches has Venus Williams won this year? Where is she ranked? Let us know in the comments👇
What did Venus Williams say after beating Peyton Stearns in Washington?
Last year, Venus stunned the tennis community by defeating world number 35 Peyton Stearns in her first match back on the WTA Tour.
After beating Stearns 6-3, 6-4, Venus was asked to reveal what the victory meant to her.
“A lot,” Venus replied during her post-match press conference. “I mean, the meaning of this win, there is a lot of work that goes into this kind of preparation.
“I think each week that I was training, I was, like, ‘oh, my God, I don’t know if I’m good enough yet.’
“And then there would be weeks where I would leap forward, and there would be two weeks where I was, like, Oh, God, it’s not happening.
“Even the week leading up, ‘oh, my gosh, I need to improve so much more.’ So it’s all a head game.
“I think more than anything, it’s just about love, right? If you have enough love for it, then you’ll put in the effort, and then you’ll find that little extra little bit at the end because I love it so much.”
