Venus Williams, 46, bowed out of her 26th US Open singles appearance early Monday morning, falling in straight sets to fellow American wild card Sofia Kenin after a historic late-night start at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The match began at 12:13 a.m., setting a new US Open record for the latest start time, six minutes later than the previous mark set in 2024. Williams lost 6-2, 7-6 (6) in what could be her final singles match at a Grand Slam. It was her 14th consecutive singles defeat dating to her last victory in Washington in July 2025, and her sixth straight loss at the US Open since winning the first round in 2019.

Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner, needed just 32 minutes to win the first set. Williams rallied from down 4-2 in the second set to force a tiebreak but ultimately struck the ball into the net to end it. The match concluded at 2:01 a.m., becoming the latest finish for a first-round match in US Open history.

"My mind is fully focused on how I recover from this completely insane evening and get ready for the next one," Williams said, referring to her upcoming doubles match with sister Serena. She previously won the US Open in 2000 and 2001, adding to her seven Grand Slam singles titles.