Cincinnati Masters 2023: Venus Williams defeats 16th seed Veroninka Kudermetova in the opener

Former world No. 1 Venus Williams registered her first Top 20 win in four years with a straight-set 6-4, 7-5 win over No. 16 seed Veroninka Kudermetova in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters 2023 on Monday.

Also Read: Cincinnati Masters 2023: Carlos Alcaraz's No 1 crown under threat as Novak Djokovic aims to regain top spot

Williams had not beaten a top 20 player at the event since 2019 when she beat Kiki Bertens. After that win, Williams lost her next eleven matches against Top 20 opponents. However, the 43-year-old impressed once again in Cincinnati Masters 2023 by defeating Kudermetova in less than two hours of play, despite two rain delays.

The WTA quoted Williams as saying after her win, "I love this game, it's what I do. The last few years have been difficult in terms of injuries. I want to be able to be out here and be strong, and be myself and that's important to me, and I'm trying to get there."

Kudermetova led 4-1 in the first and second sets. Indeed, the World No. 16 had two set points in the second set to level the match at one set each, one at 5-2 and the other at 5-3. But Williams fought back to win in straight sets on both occasions. This was her first on tour win since defeating Camila Giorgi in the first round of the Birmingham Open in June.

Kudermetova recorded 16 winners in their first match to Williams' nine. Although Kudermetova's 33 unforced errors were more than double Williams' 15. Williams won by converting six of her nine break points.

Also Read: India announces six-member team to play Morocco Davis Cup tie

In other women's matches of Cincinnati Masters 2023, Sloane Stephens marked her 12th appearance. She defeated Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto by 7-5, 6-2 score. While in the men's draw, Felix Auger-Aliassime won a battle of injury comeback competitors. He kept former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini winless on the Tour since March with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory. Auger-Aliassime, seeded 12th, missed his home Masters last week in Toronto with his injury recovery not yet complete.

Meanwhile, top seed Carlos Alcaraz will start his Cincinnati Masters 2023 journey on Wednesday after a bye against Jordan Thompson, who put out 2013 finalist John Isner 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/2).