Emma Raducanu labelled the perfect teaser for Serena Williams ahead of US Open swansong

Serena Williams to retire from tennis 'in next few weeks'

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Emma Raducanu has been labelled by Andy Roddick as the perfect “teaser” for Serena Williams as the 23-time Grand Slam champion prepares for her swansong at the US Open. Williams, who is set to face the Briton at the Cincinnati Masters on Tuesday, has announced that she will retire from tennis following the final major of the year after a career spanning the best part of three decades.

“I don’t think she loses first round and goes into the US Open with a bunch of confidence,” Roddick told the Tennis Channel as he gave his thoughts on Williams. “But if she gets two or three matches that are tough where she has those tough moments.

“I think actually a high-profile match-up like against Emma Raducanu is a great teaser for New York. There’s going to be eyeballs on this match. I’ll be tuning in, I think people that aren’t really interested in tennis day to day will tune in.

“It’s one of those matches where you’re going to get a snack and you’re going to schedule watching it. I think that’s good for Serena. I think she needs two or three tough matches. If it goes any further than that, fantastic.

“But she’s never been one that’s needed a month’s worth of matches to be effective at an event. And I do think that if she can get a little bit of rhythm and then play herself into the first, second round of the US Open, we’re going to have a fun rollercoaster at that last tournament.”

The first round clash between Williams and Raducanu had originally been arranged for Monday but has now been pushed back a day, with a Cincinnati Masters spokesperson explaining that the delay was “on account of a number of factors related to scheduling.” And both players will be desperate to get the upper hand.

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Williams has been a dominant force in tennis since making her debut on the Tour in 1995. During her illustrious career she has tasted success at the US Open on six occasions as well as winning Wimbledon seven times and the Australian Open seven times. The 40-year-old also has three French Open titles to her name.

Raducanu, meanwhile, burst onto the tennis scene last year when she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon in her maiden Grand Slam. The Bromley-born ace then stunned the tennis world by becoming the US Open champion at the age of 18.

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