Serena Williams and Emma Raducanu's upcoming match at the Cincinnati Open promises to be a blockbuster encounter, and the Briton knows she will remember the occasion no matter how it ends.
The Cincinnati Open is the penultimate tournament of Williams' glittering career. She announced that the US Open would be her final tournament before retiring from professional tennis.
That means there is even more scrutiny than usual surrounding the 23-time Grand Slam champion ahead of her appearance in Cincinnati, and that only increased after the draw for the tournament was made.
Six-time US Open champion Williams will play the current champion at Flushing Meadows, Emma Raducanu, in a first-round contest likely to be watched by millions of fans worldwide.
It is hard to pick a favorite for the match. Williams only returned from a year out during the recent grass-court season, but Raducanu has struggled for consistency since her unexpected triumph at the US Open last year.
Regardless of the result, Raducanu is excited to play the woman many consider the best female player ever and says it will be a moment she remembers for the rest of her life.
"For our careers to have crossed like this, I'm fortunate to be able to play her. Whatever happens, it will be an incredible experience that I'll surely remember for the rest of my life."
"It will be an exciting match, I'm looking forward to it. It will be an amazing opportunity to play the best tennis player of all time. This will probably be my last opportunity."
Beating Williams in front of an adoring home crowd at the Cincinnati Open could give Raducanu the boost she needs ahead of her US Open defense after a challenging 2022. How the Briton handles that environment will also be a test of the 19-year-old's mentality.
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