Venus Williams vs Sofia Kenin at US Open

Venus Williams vs Sofia Kenin is a first-round match at the 2026 US Open, scheduled for the Arthur Ashe Stadium night session on Sunday, Aug. 30. Sky Sports' order of play, posted at 11:16 UK time, lists it after Mariano Navone vs No. 4 Novak Djokovic, with the night session from midnight BST. The Ashe day session, from 5 p.m. BST, is Pegula and Medvedev. Both Americans entered as wild cards, Sports Illustrated, Tennis Now, and Stats Zone all noted. It is their first professional singles meeting, SI, Sportskeeda, and Second Serve Aces wrote.

Venus is 46, a two-time US Open singles champion (2000, 2001), and first played here in 1997. Kenin is 27, the 2020 Australian Open champion, and Tennis Now listed her at No. 110. That is the whole poster. A former champion on a wild card, a Slam winner on a wild card, Ashe at night, no shared singles history. Main-draw tennis starts Sunday. This is the American night match.

When is Venus Williams vs Sofia Kenin?

Sunday night on Ashe, after Navone and Djokovic, per Sky Sports. UK clocks have the night session from midnight BST. New York will play it as the Ashe night program. Do not show up for the day session expecting this one. Pegula and Medvedev are the afternoon Ashe names. Williams vs Kenin is the late American card, two wild cards in a stadium that has already seen Venus win this title twice.

Tennis Now's Kenin Q&A is the color. She called Venus an icon and a legend and said she is excited for an American tennis night match. The scouting report from Kenin: Venus hits flat and deep, and Kenin will throw a drop shot if she has the opportunity. That is her plan, not a prediction. First-round tennis on Ashe does not care about plans. It cares who holds serve when the ball is in the air.

Have Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin played before?

Not in professional singles. That is the sourced line from SI, Sportskeeda, and Second Serve Aces. Both needed wild cards to get in, which is the other search. Venus, at 46, is here on one. Kenin is here on one. Sports Illustrated wrote that Venus has not won a singles match at a Grand Slam in over five years and has exited in the first round of her last four US Opens. Tennis Now cited a 14-match losing streak. None of that is a result for Sunday. It is the form sheet, attributed, and it is why a wild-card night match on Ashe is still a story.

Qualifying already put another name through. Harriet Dart is in the main draw after coming through the qualifier, which we had as Harriet Dart qualifies for the US Open. Venus and Kenin skipped that route. Wild cards, Ashe at night, first meeting. Searchers typing Venus Williams vs Sofia Kenin want the round, the court, and whether they have history. First round, Ashe night, no. Sunday's result is not in yet.

Venus Williams vs Sofia Kenin FAQ

When do Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin play? First round of the 2026 US Open, Arthur Ashe Stadium night session, Sunday, Aug. 30, after Navone vs Djokovic, per Sky Sports.

Have Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin played before? No. SI, Sportskeeda, and Second Serve Aces all called it their first professional singles meeting.

Are Venus Williams and Sofia Kenin wild cards? Yes. Both entered the 2026 US Open as wild cards, per SI, Tennis Now, and Stats Zone.