Why did Venus lose to Vicario?
Matthew Wilson
Updated on January 13, 2026
The young American went up a break in the second set too, before Sanchez Vicario got a grip on the match and turned things around. While trailing in the second set, the World No. 2 took a bathroom break. This disrupted Williams' rhythm and she never recovered after that.
Did Vicario ice Venus?
It's true that Arantxa Sánchez Vicario, then the No. 2-ranked player in the world, called for a break during her second-round match against Venus at the 1994 Bank of the West Classic. It's unclear what she did during the break, but it's widely believed she was trying to ice Venus.Did Venus get iced in her first match?
And yes, Williams really did lose that match. But was she really iced? Zach Baylin, the film's screenwriter, said “that event is truthful,” and he said in his research that people watching that match truly felt it was a controversial moment.Did Venus get iced?
Tennis fans may already know the ending but have forgotten the details. The short answer is, Williams loses the match, and “King Richard” suggests that part of the reason Williams lost is because she was “iced” when her opponent took a bathroom break to get inside Williams' head, halting her momentum.Who did Venus play at 14?
1994–96: Professional debutWilliams turned professional on October 31, 1994, at the age of fourteen. In the first round of the tournament, Venus played former NCAA singles champion Shaun Stafford, who earlier that year had reached the fourth round of the French Open. Williams beat her fellow American 6–3, 6–4.