Seven-Time Grand Slam Champion Loses in Straight Sets to 23-Year-Old American Mary Stoiana as Winless Run Continues
HONG KONG: Former world number one Venus Williams suffered her 17th consecutive singles defeat on Monday after losing to fellow American Mary Stoiana in the opening round of the Hong Kong Open.
The 46-year-old Williams was beaten 6-2, 6-3 by Stoiana, who is 23 years old and ranked 113th in the world. Williams currently occupies the 597th position in the rankings.
The defeat extended a difficult period for the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, who has struggled to regain her winning form on the WTA Tour.
Venus Williams Struggles Against Younger Opponent
Williams faced difficulties during the opening set. At one point, she shouted and stumbled while chasing a return, narrowly managing to stay on her feet. She subsequently fell behind 5-2 as Stoiana maintained control.
Despite strong support from the Hong Kong crowd, Williams could not turn the match around in the second set.
Stoiana remained composed and secured a straight-sets victory, sending the former world number one out of the tournament in the opening round.
Williams Still Searching for First Singles Win
The latest defeat extended Williams’ singles losing streak to 17 matches. Her last singles victory on the WTA Tour came in July 2025.
Last week, she suffered another straight-sets defeat at the Guangzhou Open against Austrian teenager Lilli Tagger.
Before that, Williams competed at the US Open in August-September, where she lost her opening-round match against Sofia Kenin without winning a set.
Despite her singles struggles, Williams showed encouraging form in doubles at Guangzhou, reaching the semi-finals alongside Indonesia’s Janice Tjen.
Williams Continues Doubles Campaign in Hong Kong
Williams is also scheduled to compete in the doubles event at the Hong Kong Open as she continues her tournament campaign.
Meanwhile, Stoiana has advanced to the last 16, where she will face either top seed Sorana Cirstea of Romania or Russian-born Uzbek player Maria Timofeeva.
The victory marks an important achievement for the 23-year-old American, while Williams continues her search for a return to winning form in singles tennis.
