Venus Williams Falls in Madrid Open First Round as Teen Wild Card Kaitlin Quevedo Shines

Posted : 22 April 2026

Venus Williams endured a difficult return to clay-court action as she was eliminated in the first round of the Madrid Open, falling 6-2, 6-4 to Spanish wild card Kaitlin Quevedo. The 45-year-old seven-time Grand Slam champion struggled to find consistency against the 20-year-old, who produced a composed and energetic performance to secure the biggest win of her young career.

The match was tightly contested in the opening set, with windy conditions at the Estadio Manolo Santana contributing to a high number of unforced errors from both players. Despite the uneven start, Quevedo gradually settled into a stronger rhythm and, as the match progressed, proved the more reliable player from the baseline.

Williams briefly raised hopes of a comeback in the second set, racing into a 3-0 lead. However, Quevedo responded impressively, regrouping after a rain delay that forced the closure of the centre court roof. From there, the Spanish teenager won five consecutive games to complete a straight-sets victory and move into the second round of the WTA 1000 event.

The defeat marks another setback for Williams, who has now lost all seven of her singles matches this season and is still searching for consistency following a long injury layoff. She also acknowledged the challenge of adapting to clay again after several years away from the surface, though she expressed satisfaction with her overall movement and performance progression during the match.

Elsewhere in Madrid, last year’s French Open breakout star Lois Boisson suffered a disappointing return to action, losing 6-1, 6-3 to American Peyton Stearns. Boisson, who previously reached the semifinals in Paris as a surprise contender, struggled to regain momentum in her comeback match after injury.

Earlier in the day, Spain’s Paula Badosa was also knocked out in a dramatic three-set battle, falling 7-6, 4-6, 6-0 to Julia Grabher, while Beatriz Haddad Maia was heavily defeated 6-1, 6-1 by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

The opening round also delivered strong performances from rising and established names, with Stearns advancing to face world number one Aryna Sabalenka, setting up a major second-round clash.

Day 1 in Madrid proved costly for several big names, while emerging talents seized their opportunity on one of the biggest stages in clay-court tennis.

Venus Williams Falls in Madrid Open First Round as Teen Wild Card Kaitlin Quevedo Shines

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