Emma Raducanu earned one of the biggest wins of her career as she saw off 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams 6-4 6-0 in just 65 minutes at the Western & Southern Open.
The 10th seed in Cincinnati couldn’t believe her luck when she drew the former world No 1 in the opening round days after Williams announced her upcoming retirement, and brought the 40-year-old one step closer to the end of her career as she stunned her with a dominant performance. It serves as the perfect preparation for the 19-year-old with her US Open title defence imminent.
As soon as the draw was made, Raducanu’s match with Williams became the most anticipated of the first round – especially given the American’s recent retirement announcement. The British No 1 herself talked up the clash and said she was “fortunate” to get a chance to play the 23-time Grand Slam champion on her way out, adding: “Whatever happens, it will be an incredible experience that I’ll surely remember for the rest of my life.”
Williams won the coin toss and elected to serve but it was a nervous start for the two-time former champion, who hit four consecutive errors to gift the 10th seed an immediate break of serve. And the mistakes kept coming for the former world No 1 as she hit another double fault at 1-3 down before facing two break points, saving the first with an ace but giving Raducanu the second with another error.
With the Cincinnati crowd firmly on the side of the 23-time Major champion in her last appearance at the tournament, there was a huge cheer as the US Open champion couldn’t get a ball back to give Williams a point at 4-1. Having led 40-15, the Brit lost four points in a row as the 40-year-old managed to get her first break and close the gap between herself and Raducanu. Williams served three aces in a row from 15-30 in the following game to hold for 3-4 and was forced to save a set point on her next service game with a winner but she couldn’t fend off the 10th seed for long as Raducanu served out a 6-4 first set to love, sealing it with an ace after 39 minutes. It was a shaky set for the American, who had started to up her level by the end, as she won just won point on her second serve.
But momentum was well and truly with the Brit, who earned another break of the tennis legend’s serve to start the second set and found herself with triple break point at 2-0. Williams was able to save the first two but Raducanu took the third and final break point to find herself leading by a double break for the second-successive set.
Things went from bad to worse for the two-time champion as she lost a 30-15 lead on her serve to get broken for a fifth and final time by the teenager, giving Raducanu the chance to serve for the victory. And the 19-year-old closed out one of the biggest wins of her life 6-4 6-0 over the woman regarded as the GOAT.
It was a hugely impressive performance from the Bromley teenager, who hit five aces to zero double faults and produced a confident display on her serve, winning 76 per cent of points on her first serve and 75 per cent on her second. And a win over an icon of the sport like Williams could be exactly what Raducanu needs in the lead-up to her US Open title defence, with the final Major of the year starting in 13 days.
The win also appears to be a positive sign in the early stages of Raducanu’s trial period with new coach Dmitry Tursunov, who was present in her box for the blockbuster clash and could be seen beaming as his charge won the first set. For now, the world No 13 remains in Cincinnati where she will next face another multi-Grand Slam champion and former world No 1 in Victoria Azarenka. (Express)