Pakistan, Oct. 28 -- Former world number one Venus Williams lost her 16th singles match in a row as she was beaten by an opponent 28 years younger at the Guangzhou Open.

The 46-year-old American, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, was beaten 6-2 6-2 by 18-year-old Lilli Tagger on Tuesday.

It is the biggest age gap between opponents in a WTA match this decade and among the largest in tour-level history. Williams, ranked 599th in the world, has not won a match since July 2025 and relies on wildcards to play WTA tournaments. This latest defeat continues the debate over whether she deserves them. Some within the sport argue Williams is taking spots from younger players trying to develop their careers, but tournament organisers see...