Venus Williams opens Cincinnati Open with first win over top-20 opponent in four years, at the age of 43

In a remarkable comeback, the seven-time major singles champion secured a well-deserved victory against Veronika Kudermetova, ending her streak of not winning a US tournament match for over three years.

Venus Williams, 43, made a remarkable comeback to defeat Veronika Kudermetova in the Cincinnati Open, marking her first victory against a top-20 player in four years.

In the final of a US tournament, the seven-time major singles champion defeated the 16th-ranked Russian 6-4 7-5. It marked the champion’s first victory at a US tournament in over three years.

In a closely contested match, Kudermetova initially had a strong lead in both sets, only for Williams to stage a remarkable comeback. Despite facing a 5-2 deficit in the second set and being down two set points, Williams rallied to win the last six games and secure victory.

“I love this game, it’s what I do,” Williams said after the win. “The last few years have been difficult in terms of injuries but I love to be out here, be strong and be myself. I’m getting there.”

Williams sealed her victory by winning 29 out of 45 first-service points and successfully converting six out of nine break-point opportunities. This triumph marked her first win against a top-20 player after 11 previous attempts.

Williams is set to face Qinwen Zheng or Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round of her next match. This is a chance for her to win consecutive matches on the WTA Tour, which she hasn’t done since 2019. In her previous tournament, Williams secured an impressive win against Kiki Bertens and made it to the quarter-finals.

The Cincinnati Open is an important tournament in the American hard-court circuit leading up to the US Open. The final Grand Slam event of the season begins on August 28 in New York.

Williams’ participation in the Australian Open was in jeopardy due to a hamstring injury she sustained during the Auckland Classic tournament.

Due to her decision to skip the French Open and subsequent knee injury at Wimbledon, she only made her return to action in June.