Serena Williams, who announced her imminent retirement at 40, probably after the US Open at the end of the month, quickly left the court after her crushing defeat, without a word to television reporters.

"I was nervous from the first to the last point... Serena is dangerous and can come back from any situation," said Emma Raducanu, after her victory against the American with 23 Grand Slam titles.

"We all have to pay tribute to Serena and her incredible career," she added, saying she was "grateful" to have been able to face the ex-world number one.

"Everything she has accomplished is a source of inspiration," said the young Briton.

Serena Williams has played very little in 2022 due to injury.

Before a success on August 8 against a modest Spanish player in the 1st round of the Toronto tournament, her last singles victory on the WTA circuit dates back to June 4, 2021. It was then a victorious 3rd round at Roland-Garros. .

A few weeks later, she withdrew from the first round of Wimbledon due to a leg injury.

Serena Williams was then absent for almost a year, not making her return to singles until the end of June at Wimbledon, where she was beaten by Frenchwoman Harmony Tan.

Venus beaten too

Seven times crowned in singles on the London turf and former undisputed world No.1, Serena Williams has now fallen to 407th place in the world.

Her last Grand Slam title dates back more than five years, at the 2017 Australian Open. Since then, she has been chasing in vain behind a 24th title that would allow her to equal Margaret Court's record.

Raducanu, 19, had revealed herself last year on the London lawn of Wimbledon, by reaching the 8th finals, when she was in 338th place in the world before the tournament and that she had until then never won a match on the circuit.

She then created a huge surprise by winning the US Open.

In Cincinnati, the young Londoner, 10th seed, took a 4-1 lead in the first set, with only one fault against ten for Williams.

On the same day, Venus Williams, 42, Serena's older sister, lost 7-5, 6-1 to Czech Karolina Pliskova, former world number one.

In men, the Australian Nick Kyrgios, 28th in the world, beat (7-5, 6-4) the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

He will next face American Taylor Fritz, who crushed Argentina's Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-1.

© 2022 AFP