Tennis legend Venus Williams faces Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro this afternoon on center court in the first round of the 2025 Cincinnati Open.
For Williams, this is her 11th appearance at the tournament — and perhaps the most special. Competing at the age of 45, she is defying the laws of sports biology, after becoming the second-oldest player of all time to win a main-draw match on the WTA Tour, behind Martina Navratilova.
She secured that win last month in the first round of the DC Open, defeating the 23-year-old Peyton Stearns.
Williams’ 22-year-old opponent today, Bouzas Maneiro, arrives in top form, having made a strong WTA 1000 quarterfinal appearance at the Canadian Open, falling to the unstoppable Victoria Mboko.
Williams-Bouzas Maneiro Head-to-Head
This is the first time Williams and Bouzas Maneiro will face off against one another. Williams won her first two singles Grand Slams in 2000 — two years before Bouzas Maneiro was born.
What to Watch
Recovery vs. Momentum: Venus brings a serve-powered game and decades of championship experience, returning after health challenges and surgery. Bouzas Maneiro counters with youthful aggression and recent deep runs on hard courts.
Serving battle: Bouzas Maneiro exposed weak second-serve returns at Cincinnati preview models, making that a weakness Venus could exploit.
Court craft vs. endurance: Venus has consistently shown mental tenacity and efficiency, while Bouzas Maneiro brings fresh legs and fearless baseline depth.
Prediction
Bouzas Maneiro in two sets. Everyone loves a good comeback story. But Venus is the clear underdog here.
Bouzas Maneiro has taken down Emma Navarro and fought hard against Aryna Sabalenka at Grand Slams this year.
Expect Williams to make the first set competitive, but Bouzas Maneiro to take the second by a comfortable margin to secure a two-set win.
How to Watch Venus Williams vs Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
This afternoon’s first-round match between Venus Williams and Jessica Bouzas Maneiro is scheduled as the third match of the day on P&G Center Court at Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
It’s now expected to start at around 3:10 PM Eastern, after Marketa Vondrousova’s defeat of Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets.
The match may air live on the Tennis Channel or its streaming-only T2 Channel, available for free on Amazon Prime Video here.
The Tennis Channel has a live stream simulcast of its TV coverage here, along with a dedicated feed for the Williams-Bouzas Maneiro match here.
Should none of these viewing options work for you, the Tennis Channel has a standalone streaming subscription available for $9.99/month or $109.99/year.
Williams vs. Bouzas Maneiro
Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
Expected Start Time: 3:10 PM Eastern (after Vondrousova vs. Cristian)
Venue: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio
Court: P&G Center Court
TV Coverage: Tennis Channel
Streaming: Tennis Channel app and website
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