Tennis fans criticized Venus Williams after she suffered another straight-sets defeat at the Guangzhou Open, extending her losing streak in 2026.
Williams lost 6-2, 6-2 to 18-year-old Austrian Lilli Tagger in the first round on Tuesday. The defeat marked her 13th consecutive loss of the 2026 season, leaving her without a singles victory despite receiving 13 tournament wildcards this year. She has not won a WTA Tour singles match since July 2025, extending her overall losing streak to 16 matches.
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Following the latest defeat, fans took to social media to criticize Williams’ continued participation in singles events. One Reddit user called the situation embarrassing, commenting:
“This is getting sad. She doesn’t even need the money.”
Another Reddit user criticized Williams’ performance, writing:
Another fan on X urged tournaments to stop giving the American wild cards, commenting:
Along similar lines, a few other fans chimed in:
Despite her singles struggles, Venus Williams found success in the Guangzhou doubles draw, winning her opening-round match alongside partner Janice Tjen.
Venus Williams explains what keeps her motivated to compete
In September, Venus Williams spoke to Town & Country magazine about what continues to excite her about competing despite having achieved so much in tennis. The American explained that she enjoys the preparation and hard work that go into competing, emphasizing that the satisfaction often begins during practice rather than on match day.
“Oh man, it’s so fun. Also, winning is fun, but also the process is really fun. There’s so many hours that go on the court and in the gym and so much that goes on before you even play a match. I love the process, and I think it feels good when you do all the work and you start to see it happen. And that starts to happen with practice, not in the match. I love that part, the satisfaction,” said Venus Williams.
Venus Williams began her 2026 campaign at the ASB Classic, where she lost to Magda Linette in the opening round on Jan. 6.
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