Seven-time major champion beaten 6-2, 6-2<\/p>\n
Williams, 46, loses 11th match of the season<\/p>\n
Tsitsipas advances as Dimitrov squanders lead<\/p>\n
Colombian Emilia Arango handed Venus Williams a 14th straight loss dating to July of last year, defeating the fading seven-time grand slam champion who is currently ranked 615th in 66 minutes by 6-2, 6-2 at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters.<\/p>\n
The 46-year-old Williams was given a wild card entry at an event where she reached a semi-final a dozen years ago. She has played and lost 11 times this season while competing on organizer free entries.<\/p>\n
Czech Sara Bejlek allowed compatriot and 2016 titleholder Karolina Pliskova only two games in a first-round 6-0, 6-2 rout.<\/p>\n
With 64 seeds in the men\u2019s and women\u2019s draw of the last major warm-up prior to the 30 August US Open only going into action from Saturday, interest focused on the fate of 2017 winner Grigor Dimitrov and 2022 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas.<\/p>\n
The popular Dimitrov was unable to hold onto a 4-1 lead in the third set against Argentine Sebastian Baez, exiting in the first round 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 as he lost the last five games of the encounter.<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old Dimitrov, his ranking down to 138 and playing on a wild card, was bidding for his first Cincinnati victory in five years.<\/p>\n
Baez goes on to next play American Learner Tien, a semi-finalist this week in Montreal.<\/p>\n
Tsitsipas, a one-time world number three now standing 49th after a months-long slump in form, got past Valentin Royer of France 7-6 (7\/4), 7-5 after struggling somewhat to close out the victory, which sent him into a match with second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.<\/p>\n
The Greek led a set and 5-2 but was broken as he served for victory, with Royer saving two match points on the way to 5-all.<\/p>\n
Tsitsipas managed a late break two games later on his sixth match point to advance in two hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m trying to come to the net as much as possible,\u201d Tsitsipas said. \u201cWhenever a ball is short I try to capture it inside the baseline. That\u2019s where I shined the most.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt confidence running through my veins. My offensive strategy helped me today, my composure was excellent.\u201d<\/p>\n