Venus Williams lost 6-2, 6-2 to Lilli Tagger at the Guangzhou Open on Tuesday, a straight-sets defeat that extended her run without a singles win and drew a huge ovation as she walked off court. The 46-year-old was beaten by an 18-year-old who converted the night into the first WTA match win of her career against Williams.
The result mattered because it widened the divide between two careers separated by 28 years. Williams, ranked 599th in the world, has not won a match since July 2025 and has now lost her 16th singles match in a row, while Tagger moved on with the kind of result that marks a breakthrough on the tour.
That age gap is rare enough on its own. A 46-year-old facing an 18-year-old in a WTA match is unusual in modern tennis, and the gulf between them was visible in the scoreline, even before the crowd’s response to Williams made clear how much attention she still draws wherever she plays.
Williams continues to rely on wildcards to enter WTA tournaments, a system that keeps her on the main stages but also fuels criticism from those who think those places should go to younger players trying to build a career. Tournament organisers still see commercial value in inviting a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion and winner of 30 WTA tournaments, and Guangzhou’s fans showed that again by rising for her at the end.
Tagger’s own rise adds another layer. The 18-year-old, who won the 2025 French Open girls’ title and is ranked 53rd in the world, said before the match that she was excited and nervous at the draw and wanted to congratulate Williams. She also noted that Williams had once played with her coach, Francesca Schiavone, who is the same age as Williams and lost all eight of their meetings during her own playing career.
What comes next is unclear, and that is now the central question around Williams. This defeat does not tell readers whether she will receive another wildcard or when she will next play, but it does make one thing hard to miss: her place on the tour still depends on invitations, and every one of them is now judged against a growing list of losses.
