Venus Williams loses first-round match at National Bank Open
Venus Williams exits National Bank Open after first-round loss in Toronto Rain delayed play, but Rakhimova's win ends Williams' return and extends skid
Venus Williams was eliminated in the first round of the National Bank Open in Toronto on Sunday after falling 64, 61 to Kamilla Rakhimova of Uzbekistan.
Rain delayed the start of play at Sobeys Stadium by nearly two hours, but Williams took the court after the weather cleared and competed in her first appearance at the tournament in several years. The 46yearold, who entered as a wild card, has now lost 12 matches in a row dating back to July 2025.
Rakhimova, ranked No. 82 in the world, broke Williams late in the first set and then controlled the second set to close out the match in 1 hour, 27 minutes. Other Canadian players also featured on the opening day, including wins for Katherine Sebov and upcoming matches for Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez.