Venus Williams loses but shows she’s still competitive at 45

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Venus Williams has lost her first singles match of 2026 to fifth-seeded Magda Linette at the WTA Tour tournament in Auckland, New Zealand. The 45-year-old Williams put up a superb show before losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to the No. 52-ranked Linette, who was only two years old when Williams played her