Serena Williams crashes out to Raducanu in Cincinnati Open

Serena Williams’ farewell tour hit another snag on Tuesday (August 16) with a 6-4 6-0 first-round loss to Emma Raducanu at the Cincinnati Open, one of the final tune-up events before the American great’s final Grand Slam.

Williams has one more professional tournament before the U.S. Open, where she will have one last chance to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles.

Following a sluggish start in the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati, Williams gave the sold-out crowd something to cheer about in the first set, crushing back-to-back aces to cut reigning US Open champion Raducanu’s lead to 4-3.

But the British 19-year-old responded with an ace of her own to win the match.

But the British 19-year-old responded with an ace of her own to take the first set and then opened the second with a break of serve.

Raducanu advanced from there, slamming an unreturnable serve on match point to end their first career meeting and set up a meeting with two-time former major winner Victoria Azarenka.

Williams waved to the crowd as she walked off the court and did not speak to the press afterwards.

“I think we all just need to honour Serena and her amazing career,” Raducanu said on court”

“I’m so grateful for the experience of getting to play her and for our careers to have crossed over. Everything she has achieved is so inspirational and it was a true honour to get to share the court with her.”