Serena Williams knew losing to Emma Raducanu at the Cincinnati Open was a possibility. But she never expected it to be so brutal.
The 19-year-old US Open champion swept aside the retired Williams in an hour and five minutes to win 6-4 6-0 in a merciless and composed performance. It was one of the best performances Raducanu has had since winning the US Open last year.
There were no parting words or tears from Williams on the pitch afterwards, unlike last week in Toronto when she lost to Belinda Bencic.
She immediately gathered her things and left the place with a wave to the crowd, who were still cheering her on as if she had won, and declined a court interview.
Williams struggled to find her rhythm – her backhand often let her down and gave easy points to Raducanu. Her serve wasn’t great either and she roared in anger once in the opener when another double fault gave Raducanu a break point.
But there were still flashes of her size, fighting spirit and that sheer, brutal forehand power that has propelled her to 23 amazing Grand Slam wins.
It was a brief farewell to Serena Williams in Cincinnati after Emma Raducanu punched her
Raducanu applauded her opponent after a comfortable win in Cincinnati
The 40-year-old quickly left the court after a ruthless Raducanu defeated her
Raducanu put on one of their best performances of the year, defeating Williams 6-4, 6-0
The crowd was right behind Williams, but they couldn’t cheer her to victory on Tuesday
Raducanu paid tribute to Williams after the match and said it was an honor to play against them
Trailing 4-1 in the first set and trailing 40-15, Williams dominated the next few points with her forehand alone while whipping the crowd into a frenzy as she won the game.
But here Raducanu responded so well. Her shot selection was smart, her own forehand was good too and she responded to being broken – and then holding Williams with a powerful serve – by holding on to love.
Raducanu never allowed Williams or the crowd to build momentum throughout the game. She hit 14 winners with just one unforced error.
“I didn’t really know that statistic. I think we all have to honor Serena and her amazing career,” Raducanu said afterwards. “I’m so grateful for the experience of playing her and for our careers crossing. It was an honor to share the farm with her.
“The atmosphere tonight was amazing. Even when you (the audience) cheered them on, I was all in!
“I was nervous from the first point to the last, she can come back from anything and I was happy to keep my composure.”
But whether Raducanu was actually nervous, no one could tell. It was a laser-focused performance from the 19-year-old, who looked in the zone from the moment she encountered Williams in the hallway outside the locker rooms.
Williams seemed particularly struggling with her backhand and serve on Tuesday
Williams’ best shots came on her forehand – she still showed flashes of her size
Tennis fans in Cincinnati cheered on Williams against Raducanu
But the 19-year-old has been in great form as she prepares for her defense at the US Open
Raducanu paid tribute to Williams after the match and said it was an honor to play against them
Think of UK-based tennis fans as Wimbledon in reverse. The crowd was absolutely united behind Serena, Raducanu said – every point she won was cheered as if it had won a game or a set.
“Serena the GOAT” and “Long live the Queen” read the signs, which waved aloft as Williams was announced and entered the plaza.
Maybe that suited Raducanu. There haven’t been many times since winning the US Open where she hasn’t been the center of attention, but here, against Williams, she was just that. It’s a confident win for her as she prepares to claim her title To defend.
So it’s a last dance for Williams at the US Open, although fans cling to the fact that she didn’t specifically say Flushing Meadows would be her last tournament. Williams is 0-2 since announcing she was retiring.
“Tonight was, in my mind, a match to play against the greatest of all time – who knows how many more opportunities we’ll have to share the pitch,” added Raducanu. “I find it amazing how our careers overlap and I thought to myself, ‘This is a complete gift, you’re sharing the space with the greatest of all time. Make the most of it for the rest of your career.” I will remember playing Serena Williams.
Next up for Raducanu is a matchup against another former world No. 1, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.