Emiliana Arango vs. Venus Williams | 2026 Cincinnati Round 1 | WTA Match Highlights

Did really well there, Arango. That is a great start, really solid from the Colombian. Worrying factor indeed in the second and third set. She started serving really, really well. A little glimpse there of the power. It felt like she started the match a bit dizzled. Oh, she stopped. I think Emiliana thought that was going to go long. She enjoyed that. That early break will just help settle Arango into this match. Oh, no. How good was that? Venus Williams, golden stuff. Good response from Arango. Great defense from Arango. Superb. Oh, the double break. Set points here for Arango. Well, pretty comfortable in the end for the Colombian. A couple of little moments in that first set where it started to feel like Venus Williams could cause her some problems. She was pretty disciplined, pretty consistent throughout. That's better from Venus Williams. That's what she's looking to do. Them being so tall, it's easy for them to cover the net as well. Assuming that goes ahead. In competition this way. Huge cheer as Venus Williams. That's nicely done. That's Emiliana Arango into the second round in Cincinnati for the first time in her career. Taking on one of the true greats of the sport. Venus Williams not able to find the kind of level she would have liked today. But you have to give all credit to the Colombian who did exactly what she needed to do. A real clarity around her game plan and an impressive execution of it. 6-2, 6-2. Emiliana, congratulations. We are all so curious to know what that experience was like. She won her first Grand Slam title a few months before you were born in 2000. I mean, so to play a legend like that has to be pretty special for you. Definitely. It felt so surreal. When the draw came out and I saw it, I was like, oh man, it's so exciting to get to have this opportunity. I mean, growing up, I always saw her on TV and now getting to play her, it's really crazy. What were you focusing on? I mean, there's so much to it emotionally, but as far as your game, you looked so strong out here. What were you paying the most attention to in terms of your plan? Honestly, my legs. Like my coach told me, I do not want to see you moving slow. The only thing I want is for your legs to go fast. So I tried to focus as much as I could on that, try to get as many balls back as I could. And I think I did a good job of it. We love having you here in Cincinnati. You have such an incredible story. We know you're a family girl, your family invested in your career. I mean, and you are here now so proud playing some of the best tennis of your life. What have you enjoyed here in Cincinnati outside of tennis maybe? Definitely the golf. I've been, well, my coach loves the golf and the tournament does such a great job of like letting us play and giving us some clubs. And so my coach was out there. He's like, let's go play some golf. The thing is he's really good and I am not that good. So it really pisses me off. All right. Last quick question for you. We love the trademark backwards hat. What started this tradition? It's pretty cool. Honestly, my mom, I, my, when I was younger, my hair wouldn't grow and I would like always have it down and I would put on the hat. But then my coach, which is funny, you know, same coach I have here. He's like, nobody plays like that. You've got to put your hair up in a bun or like in a ponytail, do something with your hair. And so my mom was like, why don't you braid it? And so she would braid it. And then I was like, and what do I do with my hat? And she goes, why don't you just put it backwards? So, I mean, I was 10 years old and I've kept it since now. I don't think I can take it back. Come on, everyone. Impossible not to love her. That is Emiliana Arango.