Venus Williams, 45, confirmed her intention to compete at the French Open after a 6-2, 6-4 defeat to 20-year-old Spaniard Kaitlin Quevedo at the Madrid Open. The seven-time Grand Slam champion, playing her first clay-court match since losing in the first round of the 2021 French Open, acknowledged the challenge of readjusting to the surface after starting her clay preparation just weeks after Miami. Williams, who has not won a match on tour since July 2025 against Peyton Stearns, was unable to convert her recent form, falling to her 10th consecutive singles loss. Quevedo, ranked outside the top 100, secured her first WTA 1000 main-draw victory and became the youngest Spanish player to win a main-draw match at the Madrid Open. "I was so surprised," Quevedo said. "I didn't know that was going to happen. I'm just really happy that I was able to play against such a legend on this amazing court for the first time. It was a privilege, and I'm just really happy to be here." Williams noted she will skip Rome due to prior commitments, adding, "My husband is Italian, so we feel sad that we can't be there." She described the Madrid Open as "a great start" toward building momentum for Roland Garros.
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