Emma Raducanu compares dramatic win over icon Serena Williams with US Open title

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Emma Raducanu drew ‘some parallels’ with her dominant victory over Serena Williams to her historic triumph at the US Open last year. The British No 1 was given a tough opening-round draw at the Cincinnati Masters to face tennis great Williams.

The American sports icon dropped the news last week that she will be retiring after the US Open with the Cincinnati Masters being her penultimate tournament. But Raducanu didn’t let the occasion phase her as she immediately broke serve in the very first game and wrapped up the first set 6-4.

Then the Brit stepped on the gas even more in one of the most one-sided sets Williams has ever been on the receiving end of. Williams was bageled for just the 19th time in her career and first since Johanna Konta’s win back in August 2018.

For Raducanu, the win gives her huge confidence heading into her US Open title defence, which gets underway later this month. And the Brit admitted after the match that she had similar nerves serving out for the match against Williams that she did when she won the US Open title 12 months ago.

“I think it was pretty similar in a way, you’re very nervous,” she told the Tennis Channel. “But just staying composed I think is the biggest thing and serving out the first set and serving out the match, you have to have some steel.

“I did draw some parallels to serving out the US Open and I had a really tough final service game with a little bit of drama and a time out – but it was of course extremely difficult to play her.”

It was the first time Raducanu faced off against Williams and could well be her last opportunity to do so with the American’s impending retirement. And Raducanu admitted it was a “complete gift” to share the court with the greatest of all time.

“I think I played a really good match but to play Serena here, I was nervous form the first point to the last,” she added “Maybe it didn’t look like that but when you’re playing such a champion like her, you never know when she’s going to just blow you off the court and fight.

“You let off a little bit and she is right back in, I was 4-1 up in the first set and then I got broken and the crowd got involved but it was just amazing to share a court with such a legend. I think the way she has dominated the game of tennis, the way she has held herself over the many years, I think anyone can draw inspiration for her – myself included.

“I can remember my first memory of watching her play live at Wimbledon, a day out with my first coach – we were just watching her and she was so dominant. Just watching her, she probably has the best serve ever and the greatest player of all time. Just sharing the court with her, I was really pleased. It was such an honor.

“Tonight was a match in my eyes, to be able to play the greatest of all time – who knows how many more opportunities we will get to share the court. I think it’s amazing how our careers have overlapped and I was thinking to myself ‘this is a complete gift, you are sharing the court with the best of all time. Make the most out of it, in the rest of your career you’re going to remember playing Serena Williams’.”

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