Venus Williams’ 100th career U.S. Open match ended with her worst-ever loss at Flushing Meadows.
Will it also be her last?
Fighting not just Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen but Father Time, Williams, who came to the Open dreaming of making a run, instead got a requiem.
Minnen cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 first-round rout of Williams at Arthur Ashe Stadium, a defeat so lopsided it will raise questions of whether the legend will finally retire.
“You should always go for your dreams,” Williams said. “For me, I haven’t had a lot of chances to play this year or last year. The key for me is to just stay healthy and gain some momentum.”
At 43, Williams is coy about whether or not she will retire, but she is losing mobility, speed and health.
After she earned a top-20 win this month in Cincinnati, Williams was forced out of an event in Cleveland with a knee injury last week.
On Tuesday, however, her problem was Minnen.
“There wasn’t a shot she couldn’t make. Even when I hit amazing shots, she just hit a winner or a drop shot,” Williams said. “My preparation was definitely minimal, but I don’t think it necessarily affected the bulk of my performance. There are just shots where my footwork wasn’t there. A lot of backhands I missed where my feet just weren’t there; that’s normal when you don’t spend a lot of time on court.”
Williams’ sister, Serena, hung up her racket a year ago, but Venus is still plowing forward.
It’s starting to seem, however, like she’s moving through quicksand.
A two-time U.S. Open champ, Williams missed five months due to a leg injury.
She went 21-0 in the first round of her first 21 trips to Flushing Meadows but now hasn’t gotten past the first round since 2019.
It’s fair to wonder if she ever will again.
“I definitely could’ve hoped for more throughout the year,” Williams said. “Honestly, I just had some really bad luck. I don’t think it was my body not holding up, it was just … really bad luck with injuries. There were things I couldn’t control.
“When I had to withdraw from Cleveland, I wasn’t sure I could be here. I have to thank my doctors for helping me to get here. That in itself was a blessing. I love playing here. I really gave it my all. I really played some great shots, but she had some incredible answers.
“I wish I could’ve been more prepared for that.”
Tuesday marked Williams’ 356th career Grand Slam match, behind only her sister’s 423 in the Open Era.
But how many more does she have in her?
Williams hurt her right knee falling at Wimbledon early last month.
“I typically haven’t played after the U.S. Open. … I may reconsider that this year because my year didn’t go the way, in any way, shape or form, that I thought it would,” Williams said. “I was really getting good momentum into Wimbledon. That fall really threw me for a loop for the summer.”
Minnen threw her for a loop Tuesday.
Born three years after Williams turned pro — and a week before Venus started her 1997 run to the U.S. Open Final — the Belgian advanced to face American qualifier Sachia Vickery.
“In 1997 Venus had played a Final here and I was just born. For me it was just incredible to play a legend like her,” Minnen said. “I have huge respect for her to be out there at 43 years old. It’s amazing really.”
