🇺🇸 Venus Williams vs 🇪🇸 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro

🎾 WTA Cincinnati – First Round Preview

🇺🇸 Venus Williams vs 🇪🇸 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro

🧠 Form & Context

• Venus Williams
  • 👟 Still showing glimpses: Picked up her first singles win in over a year with a victory against Peyton Stearns in Washington—her first W since Cincinnati 2023.
  • ⏳ Age vs. agility: At 45, her movement and recovery have slowed, making short points and high first-serve percentage key to staying competitive.
  • 🔄 Rust vs. rhythm: Just one singles match played in 2025; did feature in doubles in D.C. but lacks match mileage this season.
  • 🏟️ Past Cincinnati success: Former semifinalist (2012) and quarterfinalist (2019), though recent visits haven’t delivered similar results.
• Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
  • 🔥 Form peak: R4 at Wimbledon and QF in Montreal, taking out several higher-ranked players in tight battles along the way.
  • 💪 Hard-court strength: Undefeated in Cincy qualifying and already owns 7 WTA main-draw hard-court wins this year.
  • 📈 On the rise: Has made huge strides in closing matches and managing nerves during momentum swings.
  • 🤝 H2H debut: First meeting between the two—but Bouzas Maneiro comes in with the sharper game and far more match readiness.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a matchup between experience and emerging form—but the margins favor youth and match fitness.

Venus can still do damage with her serve, especially on quicker courts. If she finds her rhythm early and lands over 60% of first serves, she could keep things tight. But once rallies extend, her limited mobility becomes a liability—particularly against an opponent like Bouzas Maneiro who thrives on depth, spin variation, and physical tempo.

Bouzas Maneiro will likely target Venus’s movement—stretching her side-to-side with deep backhands and stepping in to finish with clean forehands. Her growing confidence at net and willingness to mix in drop shots could also keep Venus off balance. The Spanish rising star has shown she can outlast and out-think more experienced players by staying calm and executing under pressure.

🔮 Prediction

🧩 Pick: Bouzas Maneiro in 2 sets.

Venus will have moments of brilliance—particularly on serve—but Bouzas Maneiro’s consistency, court coverage, and match rhythm should carry her comfortably through to the second round.