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Serena Williams is the talk of the Western & Southern Open ahead of her match tonight

Adam Baum, Cincinnati Enquirer
·4 min read
9

MASON, Ohio ‒ It's hard to ignore the end.

This week at the Western & Southern Open, it's been impossible to ignore.

Since Serena Williams recently announced her rapidly approaching retirement, overflowing crowds of fans and spectators have packed in around whatever practice court she's on at the Lindner Family Tennis Center just to see her, and tonight on Center Court (7 p.m., Tennis Channel), Williams will play tennis like she's done thousands of times before in front of a sold-out W&S Open crowd.

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The appreciation from the fans has been evident, and nearly every tennis player who's held a press conference has been asked about Williams.

Iga Swiatek, the WTA's No. 1 player in the world, started grinning Monday when she was asked if she's ever met Williams, who had already won a U.S. Open before Swiatek, 21, was born.

"Stop laughing," Swiatek told members of her team in the press conference after the question was asked.

"I have a hard time like catching eye contact with Serena and I wanted to just say 'Hi' a few times but it's tough because she always has so many people around her and I'm pretty shy," Swiatek said. "When I look at her, I suddenly kind of forget that I'm here as a World No. 1. I see Serena and it's wow, Serena, you know?

"I feel like I'm the kid from kindergarten just looking at her so it's tough. I haven't talked to her but I'm just trying to say hi."

Poland's Iga Swiatek returns the ball to France's Alize Cornet during a third round women's singles match on day six of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Saturday.
Poland's Iga Swiatek returns the ball to France's Alize Cornet during a third round women's singles match on day six of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London on Saturday.

Emma Raducanu is 19 years old. She plays Williams on Tuesday night on Center Court. Williams, 40, was the No. 1 player in the world when Raducanu was born.

Raducanu grew up in London. Her most vivid memory of Williams came when she was 7 years old at Wimbledon.

"My first coach would take me and one other boy who was my age to Wimbledon on a day out and we'd take the tram there and then we got onto Center Court somehow and we watched her annihilate someone ... and that was just really cool to see her live," Raducanu said. "I was so excited that day and I think that was a really special time in my life and memory that I always have. That was when I first saw Serena."

On Tuesday night, Raducanu, the defending U.S. Open champion, will be on the other side of the net, starting at the 23-time Grand Slam champion she grew up watching.

Emma Raducanu, of Britain, serves during a match against Camila Osorio, of Colombia, at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Emma Raducanu, of Britain, serves during a match against Camila Osorio, of Colombia, at the Citi Open tennis tournament in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

"I'm looking forward to it. I think it's an amazing opportunity to play one of the best, probably the best tennis player of all time," said Raducanu. "It's probably gonna be my last opportunity to ever play her and I think that for our careers to have crossed over I'm really fortunate I get to play her. Whatever happens, I think it's just going to be an incredible experience for me and something that I really will probably remember for the rest of my life."

Rafael Nadal and Williams are part of an elite club with more than 20 Grand Slam titles. Nadal called her one of the greatest sports stars of all time.

"I feel lucky to share the tour for a long period of time with her," said Nadal, who holds 22 Grand Slam titles. "From a selfish point of view, I'm sad she's leaving the tour. We can't thank her enough for all the things she did for our sport. I think she's an amazing inspiration for a lot of people around the world."

Stan Wawrinka had just lost a thrilling, three-set marathon match against Andy Murray on Monday afternoon, and when the 37-year-old made his way to his post-match press conference, it didn't take long for the conversation to center on Williams.

Wawrinka smiled when asked if he has a favorite memory of Williams.

"There is many, but I cannot tell," he said.

Prodded for more details, Wawrinka said, "I think 2015 we celebrate French Open together, and she crashed my party after the win. It was quite fun," he smiled again. "... She's been amazing for the tennis, for the fans, for everybody who's involved a little bit in sports in general. I have always been a big fan with many big moments during our career, and it's going to be of course sad to see her leaving after U.S. Open."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Serena Williams set for first match at Western & Southern Open