Up-and-coming teen Emma Radukhanu has triumphed in a generational clash with tennis icon Serena Williams. Tuesday's Cincinnati Open: After a sluggish start, the 23-time Grand Her Slam champion shattered back-to-back aces to cut Ladukanu's lead to her 4-3. Cheers to the eventually sold-out crowd of supporters.
But Britain's reigning US Open champion hit his own serve his ace to take the first set, then scored his break serving to start the second set. .
Radukanu rolled from there, hitting an unreturnable serve on match point, ending her first career meeting.
"I think we all need to pay tribute to Serena and her amazing career," Radukhanu said in an on-court interview. I am so grateful that our careers intersected with this experience. Everything she has achieved is so inspiring and it was a real honor to share the court with her."
Williams won her last major title in 2017 while pregnant with her daughter Olympia, who was in attendance.
This loss leaves Williams with only one professional tournament left before her historic career comes to an end. That's her US Open starting on August 29th. Earlier in the day, Naomi Osaka's U.S. Open preparations saw her lose 6-4, 7-5 to China's Zhang Shuai, sending former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka back down again.
It will be Osaka's third tournament return from an Achilles injury, as well as a two-time U.S. Open champion who retired with a back injury after losing the season opener in Toronto last week. , It was a return while stuttering. pain.
Last year's Cincinnati doubles champion Chan won the event in singles for the first time since 2014. I'm not feeling very well today," Chan said. "But it's definitely not her best today."
Gauff injured, Venus Williams falls
American teenager Coco Gauff , who rolled her left ankle late in the first set against qualifier Marie Buzkova and eventually retired. 7-5 1-0 trailing match.
The newly crowned world number one in doubles is recovering ahead of the US Open, where she will fight for her first Grand Slam title.
Flushing her major at Meadows this year begins on her August 29th.
Venus Williams lost to No. 14 seed Carolina Pliskova.
Venus Williams has been looking to win over her top 20 opponents since defeating Kiki her Bartens three years ago in Cincinnati.
