Kaitlin Quevedo celebrated her inaugural WTA 1000 main-draw victory and only her second career tour-level win on Tuesday in Madrid, defeating Venus Williams with a score of 6-2, 6-4 in a match lasting 1 hour and 43 minutes at Manolo Santana Stadium.
Madrid: Scores | Draws | Order of play
Speaking during her on-court interview, Quevedo expressed her surprise, stating, “I was so surprised. I didn’t expect this. I’m thrilled to have played against such a legend on this incredible court for the first time. It was a privilege.”
The 20-year-old made history by becoming the youngest Spanish player to win a main-draw match at the Mutua Madrid Open, surpassing Garbine Muguruza’s record from 2014. Additionally, Quevedo, ranked No. 140, became the lowest-ranked player to defeat a current or former World No. 1 at this tournament since its inception.
Her achievement marked a significant milestone, as she is the first player to beat a current or former World No. 1 in her debut match at a Tier I/WTA 1000 event since 1990. Throughout the match, Quevedo showcased her dominance over the 45-year-old Williams.
The match began with Quevedo breaking Williams in the first game, subsequently leading 3-0 after two breaks. Although Williams managed a break to make it 3-1, Quevedo quickly responded, closing out the first set with ease. In the second set, Williams initially led 3-0, but Quevedo fought back, leveling at 3-all after winning 11 consecutive points. Following a brief rain delay, Quevedo maintained her momentum to ultimately serve out the match and progress to the second round against No. 30 seed Hailey Baptiste.
For Venus Williams, the defeat extended her losing streak to 10 matches, the longest of her career. Quevedo is the youngest opponent Williams has faced, with the previous youngest being Celine Naef, who defeated her earlier this year. In her post-match conference, Williams acknowledged her improvement in movement on clay, but noted the ongoing adjustments she needs to make after returning to clay competition after several years.
