WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Venus Williams misplaced her first singles match of 2026 to No. 5 seed Magda Lynette on the WTA Tour event in Auckland, New Zealand.
The 45-year-old Williams put in a terrific efficiency, however misplaced 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to Lynette, who’s ranked No. 52. Williams was solely two years previous when she competed in her first skilled singles match.
Tuesday’s match was Williams’ 1,one hundred and first singles match on the WTA Tour. Nevertheless, her competitiveness in opposition to gamers 12 years her junior will give her confidence as she heads to Australia for the Hobart Worldwide and Australian Open.
The seven-time main champion has secured a wild card spot for the Auckland event, which begins in Hobart from January 12, and the primary Grand Slam of the yr at Melbourne Park.
The match in Oakland was Williams’ first since dropping to Karolina Muchova 6-3, 2-6, 5-1 within the first spherical of the US Open final August. She performed in simply three tournaments in 2025, defeating Peyton Stearns in July to turn out to be the second-oldest lady to win on the WTA Tour, after Martina Navratilova.
Williams appeared wholesome and moved freely, serving seven aces and hitting exhausting on either side.
“Take a look at the extent she introduced. Her motion was actually nice,” Lynette mentioned in a courtside tv interview. “She was hitting very well, particularly when she was working to open house.
“It was actually spectacular and I actually needed to cool down. She pushes individuals to locations they do not wish to go, and I used to be there for some time, so it was very nice to return again refreshed and play a little bit bit higher.”
Williams, ranked No. 582 this week, has been a daily customer to Oakland within the latter half of his profession. She defeated Caroline Wozniacki within the 2015 ultimate to win her forty first of 46 WTA Tour titles. She informed reporters she did not really feel any strain this yr.
“The most important strain is the strain you placed on your self, proper?” Williams mentioned. “And also you look again and suppose, ‘It wasn’t that massive of a deal.’
“So whereas I am residing within the second, I hope I can look again with a 20/20 imaginative and prescient. Simply sort of let go, flow, get pleasure from it, and be within the second. It is not straightforward. That is why individuals love sports activities, proper?”
Williams obtained off to a powerful begin, scoring her first ace in her first service sport. She was damaged by Lynette within the fifth sport, trailing 5-2 earlier than breaking again. Lynette took the primary set in 51 minutes.
Within the second set, Williams broke within the sixth and tenth video games. She was capable of hit exhausting into the corners and pull off sharp winners down the road. She additionally went on-line successfully.
Lynette made a decisive break within the fifth sport of the third set.
Williams competed in doubles with Elina Svitolina on Monday and misplaced to Iva Jovic and Aleksandra Ila 7-6(7), 6-1.
High-seeded Svitolina defeated Varvara Gracheva 6-3, 6-1 on Tuesday in her first singles match since taking a break from the tour in September for psychological well being causes.
“It has been a troublesome season for me. Generally when you possibly can’t do any extra, it is higher to cease and take a while to actually settle down a little bit bit,” Svitolina informed reporters earlier than the match. “I am positively going to disclose extra about what occurred a little bit later, however for now it is nonetheless very new and I am nonetheless attempting to study.”
