Venus Williams' US Open run ends with straight-sets loss to Sofia Kenin

Venus Williams' latest US Open campaign has come to an end after the 46-year-old American was defeated in straight sets by compatriot Sofia Kenin in a match that began after midnight at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Kenin, a wildcard entrant, overcame Williams 6-2, 7-6(6) in a first-round encounter that became the latest-starting women's match in US Open history.

A large crowd remained inside the stadium despite the late hour, eager to see Williams make another appearance on one of tennis' biggest stages. The match began after Novak Djokovic's five-set defeat by Mariano Navone, which had already pushed the schedule well beyond midnight.

Williams was competing in the 96th Grand Slam main draw of her distinguished career.

"It was extremely late," Williams said afterwards. "I've never played a match that late before, and I was happy to see that so many people stuck around for that. It was a real honour to play in front of them."

Kenin made the perfect start, breaking Williams in the opening game and quickly moving 3-0 ahead. Both players initially struggled to settle, with nine double faults shared between them during the opening set.

Williams responded by breaking back to love, encouraged by chants of "Let's go Venus" from the crowd. But Kenin immediately regained control, breaking again before serving out the set 6-2.

The 2020 Australian Open champion continued to apply pressure at the beginning of the second set, opening up a 3-1 advantage.

Williams produced glimpses of the quality that helped her win seven Grand Slam singles titles, but she found it difficult to maintain her momentum. Her second serve also became a significant weakness as Kenin repeatedly looked to take advantage.

With the set finely balanced, Kenin saved four break points to hold serve and level the score at 5-5. Williams showed her frustration after a series of unforced errors helped Kenin escape the game.

The American veteran recovered to hold for 6-5, but Kenin then forced the set into a tiebreak.

Williams looked capable of extending the match when she gained the advantage in the breaker, but she was unable to convert any of her seven set points.

Kenin remained composed under pressure and eventually secured the tiebreak 8-6, ending Williams' hopes of another memorable US Open comeback.

"It's not ideal," Williams said. "I would have preferred something else, definitely. It wasn't great for either of us, so I think we both tried our best."

Williams also questioned the scheduling of such a late match, saying the unusual start time made it particularly difficult for players to find their rhythm.

"I just don't know any other sport where you have to start that late," she said. "I definitely think there's room for improvement there.

"It's not easy to do in the first round. It's not easy to do it at 1 or 2 in the morning to try to find your rhythm and play your best, but I tried my best."

For Kenin, the victory sets up an all-American second-round meeting with world number one Jessica Pegula.