Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Cincinnati Open first-round match between Venus Williams and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, including predictions and form.
Continuing her epic comeback trail on the WTA Tour, 45-year-old Venus Williams returns to the Cincinnati Open on Thursday, squaring up to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in her first-round match.
The American icon had won four Grand Slam singles titles before her upcoming opponent was even born, and she already has one notable scalp under her belt during her 2025 renaissance.
Match preview
Yet to follow her equally legendary sister Serena Williams in “evolving away from tennis”, the competitive spirit burns as bright as ever in the heart of former world number one Venus Williams, who has no intention of leaving the court any time soon.
The 45-year-old understandably only plays here and there nowadays, but her timeless quality shone through as recently as July, where she defied the odds to take down Peyton Stearns in Washington DC.
A vintage Venus display of raw power and exceptional on-court intelligence propelled the veteran to a thrilling 6-3 6-4 victory in her first-round scrap, although she was subsequently seen off 2-6 2-6 by Poland’s Magdalena Frech not long after.
Nevertheless, the world number 643’s heart-warming success over Stearns – in which she posted nine aces and converted six break points – served as a stark warning to her WTA Tour counterparts ahead of her 11th appearance at the Cincinnati Open.
The American wild card has never triumphed on the hard courts of Ohio, though; her best result was a semi-final exit to Li Na in 2012, while she stunned Veronika Kudermetova in the 2023 edition before being bested by Zheng Qinwen.
From one generation to another, 2002-born Maneiro is facing one of the stars of yesterday following a humbling defeat to one of the stars of tomorrow at the ongoing Canadian Open.
By taking out Louisa Chirico, Ashlyn Krueger, Aoi Ito and Lin Zhu, Bouzas Maneiro progressed to her maiden WTA 1000 quarter-final in Montreal, but 18-year-old phenom Victoria Mboko denied her an inaugural semi-final appearance with an emphatic 6-4 6-2 success.
Maneiro was made to pay for a quintet of double faults against Coco Gauff’s teenage conqueror, as well as a measly 29% win rate on second serves, although significant personal progress was made nonetheless.
Now seeking another zenith at a Masters event, Bouzas Maneiro is competing at just her second Cincinnati Open main draw following her tournament debut in 2024; she overcame Lucia Bronzetti in her baptism match before a comprehensive straight-sets loss to Elina Svitolina in round two.
Also enjoying her best-ever runs at the Australian Open (second round), French Open (third round) and Wimbledon (last 16) in 2025, the world number 51 continues to go from strength to strength at the top level, where she now has the honour of facing the seven-time Grand Slam singles winner for the right to meet Leylah Fernandez.
We say: Bouzas Maneiro to win in two sets
Do not be surprised to see Williams trump Bouzas Maneiro on some of the serving statistical charts, as the 45-year-old has not lost her ability to fire a venomous ace past her opponent, while the Spaniard failed to hit a single one in her loss to Mboko.
However, the youthful exuberance of the 22-year-old should come to the fore during rallies, and we have faith in Bouzas Maneiro to oust the home favourite at the first hurdle.
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