Venus Williams has recently come under fire for accepting wild cards while her winless run continues.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion, 45, has lost eight consecutive matches.
She received a wild card for all eight events, but failed to make the most of the opportunities.
As fans question whether Williams deserves any more wild cards, she’s posted a defiant message on social media.
Venus Williams insists there is ‘so much more’ to come
Williams shared the following statement on Instagram.
“Laser focused,” she said.
“There’s still so much more of the story to be written…
“On to the next.”
Williams is looking forward, as the American believes she still has more to give.
Some of the criticism is overly harsh, but when you lose eight matches in a row, your form will be questioned.
It’s a tired argument, but other players could have made better use of those wild cards than Williams.
Venus Williams’ losing run
| Loss | Match | Opponent | Result | Score |
| 1 | 2025 Washington Open – 2R | Magdalena Frech | LOSS | 2-6, 2-6 |
| 2 | 2025 Cincinnati Open – 1R | Jessica Bouzas Maneiro | LOSS | 4-6, 4-6 |
| 3 | 2025 US Open – 1R | Karolina Muchova | LOSS | 3-6, 6-2, 1-6 |
| 4 | 2026 ASB Classic – 1R | Magda Linette | LOSS | 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 |
| 5 | 2026 Hobart International – 1R | Tatjana Maria | LOSS | 4-6, 3-6 |
| 6 | 2026 Australian Open – 1R | Olga Danilovic | LOSS | 7-6, 3-6, 4-6 |
| 7 | 2026 ATX Open – 1R | Ajla Tomljanovic | LOSS | 4-6, 1-6 |
| 8 | 2026 Indian Wells – 1R | Diane Parry | LOSS | 3-6, 7-6, 1-6 |
There is, however, a more-than-valid counterargument.
Williams is a star and she sells tickets.
Tournament organisers aren’t compelled to give wild cards to the most competitive players, but instead, their priority is to entertain fans.
And Williams does that every time she steps on the court, without fail.
It’s also important to note the score lines of her last eight defeats.
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👇
Yes, on occasion she loses a one-sided match, but for the most part, she’s threatened to pick up the win.
Her two previous Grand Slam matches, in particular, were highly competitive.
Williams pushed Karolina Muchova close at the US Open last year, and arguably should have beaten Olga Danilovic at this January’s Australian Open.
If she can just find that extra two or three %, Williams will soon return to winning ways.
The question is how much time she has.
As the complaints grow louder and the list of defeats grows longer, it’s getting harder and harder for tournament organisers to award Williams a wild card without receiving backlash.
With that in mind, Williams has to make her next wild card count…
Venus Williams has been given a Miami Open wild card
Williams was one of 13 players to receive a Miami Open wild card.
ATP wild cards
- Darwin Blanch (USA)
- Martin Damm (USA)
- Yibing Wu (China)
- Rei Sakamoto (Japan)
- Moise Kouame (France)
WTA wild cards
- Venus Williams (USA)
- Taylor Townsend (USA)
- Sloane Stephens (USA)
- Jennifer Brady (USA)
- Ashlyn Krueger (USA)
- Emerson Jones (Australia)
- Lilli Tagger (Austria)
- Darja Vidmanova (Czechia)
She’ll want to capitalise on the opportunity, but how has she performed in Miami over the years?
Williams last won a match at the Miami Open 2,546 days ago.
There, she defeated Daria Kasatkina to reach the fourth round of the 2019 tournament.
She’s 0-3 since, losing in the fourth round to Simona Halep, and her openers in 2021 and 2024.
However, during her younger years, Williams won three Miami Open titles.
The legendary American won the 1998, 1999, and 2001 tournaments.
Those victories make the Miami Open her most successful WTA 1000 event.
Venus Williams’ WTA 1000 titles
| Tournament | Titles | Years won |
| Miami Open | 3 | 1998, 1999, 2001 |
| Dubai Tennis Championships | 2 | 2009, 2010 |
| Italian Open | 1 | 1999 |
| Wuhan Open | 1 | 2015 |
| Charleston Open | 1 | 2004 |
| Zurich Open | 1 | 1999 |
It’s highly unlikely that Williams will add a fourth title to her collection in 2026, but if she can simply win a match, that might feel just as good.
Only time will tell what the future holds for Williams…
The 2026 Miami Open main draw begins on Tuesday, March 16.
