Serena Williams outclassed by Emma Raducanu, snubs interview on farewell tour

Serena Williams’ tennis farewell tour couldn’t be going any worse, as she was bundled out of the Cincinnati Masters by a teen sensation.

Serena Williams and Emma Raducanu.

Serena Williams has just one tournament left before retirement after she was outclassed by Emma Raducanu in their first round match at the Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday (AEST).

Last week the 23-time grand slam champion announced she will hang up her racquet following the US Open, which begins later this month.

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But the Serena farewell tour has been anything but a fairytale. She was beaten in straight sets by Belinda Bencic at the Canadian Open last week and teared up in an emotional on-court interview afterwards.

And it didn’t get any easier for Williams in Cincinnati as Raducanu rose to the occasion and rediscovered the form that saw her win the US Open last year.

The 19-year-old dominated the match from the start, breaking Williams’ serve in the opening game.

Williams looked rusty and didn’t give help herself as double faults and unforced errors opened the door for Raducanu.

She made a mini comeback from 4-1 down in the first set but from then it was all Raducanu, who bagelled Williams in the second set to claim a convincing 6-4 6-0 victory in just 65 minutes.

Serena Williams looked rusty in Cincinnati. Photo: Dylan Buell/Getty Images/AFP

The Brit finished with 14 winners and just one unforced error for the match.

“Thank you great match thank you,” Williams told Raducanu as they shook hands at the net.

But there was no repeat of the emotional scenes in Toronto as Williams brushed off requests for an on-court interview and quickly made her way down the tunnel.

Emma Raducanu easily beats Serena Williams 6-4, 6-0 to reach the 2nd round against Azarenka.

One tournament left for the 23 times Grand Slam champ. pic.twitter.com/Q2jZcp0z7H

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 17, 2022

No Toronto-style on-court farewell for Serena Williams, who was straight down the tunnel after congratulating Emma Raducanu on a "great match"...

— Yasmin Syed (@yasminstefsyed) August 17, 2022

Tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg tweeted: “Emma Raducanu gets a confidence building win ahead of her US Open title defence, soundly beating Serena Williams 6-4, 6-0 in R1 of #CincyTennis.

“Serena 0-2 since announcing her retirement. Emcee tried to stop her for an on-court interview for the crowd, but Serena blew past.”

Journalist Gaspar Ribeiro Lança described Raducanu’s performance as “pretty flawless,” adding: “It looks like there will be no on-court interview with Serena Williams in her goodbye to Cincinnati...”

Serena couldn’t get off the court fast enough. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Was this a changing of the guard of sorts? (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The centre court crowd in Cincinnati did their best do cheer Williams on, with her daughter Olympia and four-time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka in the crowd.

It was a slightly anticlimactic result for the 40-year-old’s penultimate tournament and did little to suggest she can make a deep run at the US Open.

“I think we all need to just honour Serena and her amazing career,” Raducanu said after the match.

“I’m so grateful for the experience of being able to play her and for our careers to have crossed over and everything that she has achieved is so inspirational. It was a true honour to share the court with her.”

Raducanu will next face Victoria Azarenka in the second round.

Originally published as Serena Williams outclassed by Emma Raducanu, snubs interview on farewell tour