Venus Williams has lost her last eight matches on the WTA Tour.
The American tennis legend has been given wild cards to play events since her return at the Washington Open last year.
But since winning her first-round match in Washington, Williams has failed to make the most of those wild cards.
Reacting to her latest defeat at Indian Wells, former world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov called for Williams to stop getting wildcards.
Yevgeny Kafelnikov believes other players are more deserving of wildcards than Venus Williams
During the latest episode of ‘Hard Court‘, Kafelnikov said the following.
“Have you read Dmitry Tursunov’s telegram?” he said.
“After another Venus Williams defeat, he said, I have incredible respect for Venus Williams’ achievements. Multiple Grand Slam singles champion, world number one, but it’s time.
Venus Williams’ Grand Slam singles titles
- 2000 Wimbledon
- 2000 US Open
- 2001 Wimbledon
- 2001 US Open
- 2005 Wimbledon
- 2007 Wimbledon
- 2008 Wimbledon
“The wild card into the main draw would be useful for many girls.
“The same way Maria Sharapova received one in her time.
- FACT – Maria Sharapova received an Indian Wells wild card at 14 and won her first-round match
“This wild card could have been used more productively, and I, in principle, completely agree with him.”
Kafelnikov agrees with Tursunov and doesn’t think Williams deserves any more wildcards.
Looking at her recent form, the Russian duo might have a point…
Venus Williams’ losing run
| Loss | Match | Opponent | Result | Score | Days since last win |
| – | 2025 Washington Open – 1R | Peyton Stearns | WIN | 6-3, 6-4 | 0 |
| 1 | 2025 Washington Open – 2R | Magdalena Frech | LOSS | 2-6, 2-6 | 2 |
| 2 | 2025 Cincinnati Open – 1R | Jessica Bouzas Maneiro | LOSS | 4-6, 4-6 | 15 |
| 3 | 2025 US Open – 1R | Karolina Muchova | LOSS | 3-6, 6-2, 1-6 | 34 |
| 4 | 2026 ASB Classic – 1R | Magda Linette | LOSS | 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 | 167 |
| 5 | 2026 Hobart International – 1R | Tatjana Maria | LOSS | 4-6, 3-6 | 174 |
| 6 | 2026 Australian Open – 1R | Olga Danilovic | LOSS | 7-6, 3-6, 4-6 | 179 |
| 7 | 2026 ATX Open – 1R | Ajla Tomljanovic | LOSS | 4-6, 1-6 | 216 |
| 8 | 2026 Indian Wells – 1R | Diane Parry | LOSS | 3-6, 7-6, 1-6 | 225 |
| – | 2026 Miami Open – 1R | Francesca Jones | TBD | TBD | 238 |
Williams hasn’t won a match in 238 days, ‘wasting’ a handful of wild cards over that period.
She’s been given another for the upcoming Miami Open.
There, she will play Great Britain’s Francesca Jones, who is on a losing streak of her own.
Francesca Jones’ losing run
| Loss | Match | Opponent | Result | Score | Days since last win |
| – | 2026 ASB Classic – 2R | Sinja Kraus | WIN | 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 | 0 |
| 1 | 2026 ASB Classic – QF | Xinyu Wang | LOSS | 4-6, 3-4 (RET) | 1 |
| 2 | 2026 Australian Open – 1R | Linda Klimovicova | LOSS | 2-6, 2-3 (RET) | 12 |
| 3 | 2026 ATX Open – 1R | Peyton Stearns | LOSS | 6-3, 3-6, 2-6 | 49 |
| 4 | 2026 Indian Wells – 1R | Kayla Day | LOSS | 3-6, 1-6 | 57 |
| 5 | 2026 Miami Open – 1R | Venus Williams | TBD | TBD | 70 |
Neither player will step out on court feeling confident.
But if Williams is ever going to pick up another win, surely this is her best chance!
Has Venus Williams ever won the Miami Open?
Yes, she has!
The 45-year-old won her first-ever WTA 1000 title at the Miami Open back in 1998.
Venus Williams at the 1998 Miami Open
- 1998 Miami Open 2R [WIN] vs Tatiana Panova, 6-3, 6-3
- 1998 Miami Open 3R [WIN] vs Olga Barabanschikova, 6-2, 6-1
- 1998 Miami Open 4R [WIN] vs Rita Grande, 6-1, 6-4
- 1998 Miami Open QF [WIN] vs Silvia Farina, 6-1, 6-2
- 1998 Miami Open SF [WIN] vs Martina Hingis, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
- 1998 Miami Open F [WIN] vs Anna Kournikova, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1
Williams defeated Russia’s Anna Kournikova in the final to win the first of her nine WTA 1000 titles.
She repeated the feat a year later, defending the title, beating her sister, Serena Williams, in the final.
Venus Williams at the 1999 Miami Open
- 1999 Miami Open 2R [WIN] vs Tara Snyder, 6-3, 6-4
- 1999 Miami Open 3R [WIN] vs Fabiola Zuluaga, 6-3, 6-4
- 1999 Miami Open 4R [WIN] vs Anke Huber, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6
- 1999 Miami Open QF [WIN] vs Jana Novotna, 5-7, 6-2, 6-3
- 1999 Miami Open SF [WIN] vs Steffi Graf, 6-2, 6-4
- 1999 Miami Open F [WIN] vs Serena Williams, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
Williams never won another Miami Open title, although she did reach the final in 2010, losing out to Kim Clijsters.
It’s highly unlikely that Williams will add to her tally in 2026, but a single win would surely feel just as rewarding.
Williams will play Jones in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, March 18.