Venus Williams suffers his biggest loss at the US Open

NEW YORK (AP) — Venus Williams’ 100th match at the US Open produced her heaviest defeat at a Grand Slam tournament, where she won the trophy in 2000 and 2001.

Williams, 43 and the oldest player on the field, was knocked out 6-1, 6-1 by Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen at the damp Arthur Ashe Stadium in the first round on Tuesday night.

The first 21 times Williams participated in the US Open, she went 21-0 in the first round. But this was his third consecutive first-round loss at Flushing Meadows.

Minnen, 26, was born in August 1997, a month before Williams reached the US Open final for the first time.

“It was incredible for me to play a legend like her. I have great respect,” said Minnen, who is ranked 97th and started the night with a 4-12 record in Grand Slam matches. “To be there at 43 years old is really incredible.”

Williams, whose younger sister Serena retired from tennis after last year’s US Open, owns seven major championships, including five at Wimbledon.

But he has lost in the first or second round in each of his last 12 Slam appearances.

Viewers on Tuesday seemed excited just to get the chance to see her play in person, sending her heading for the locker room to a standing ovation. Williams waved quickly and smiled as she walked away from her, her red racket slung over her left shoulder.

The temperature hovered around 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius), but the humidity was 90% and Williams was unable to stay in the points with Minnen.

It quickly came to 3-0, and Williams, owner of what used to be one of the most intimidating serves in the game, broke twice immediately. He lost each of his first half dozen second serve points.

Minnen did what he could to keep Williams off balance and it worked.

“He has incredible shots and an incredible serve. … I tried to get him to move as much as possible,” Minnen said, adding that he used drop shots effectively, “which I’m not used to.”

In the end, with a huge lead against one of the sport’s greats, Minnen said he felt some nerves trying to seal out the win.

“My heart was beating very, very fast,” he said.