“This is actually a good match up for Serena, needing to kind of get those reps going in to New York” – Andy Roddick on the upcoming Cincinnati Open R1 match-up between Serena Williams and Emma Raducanu

Andy Roddick and Paul Annacone have weighed in on the upcoming first-round clash between Serena Williams and Emma Raducanu at the 2022 Cincinnati Open.

With the Western & Southern Open's draw being announced on Friday, there are some exciting encounters to look forward to in the first round. Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu is set to face off against six-time US Open champion Serena Williams in the first round.

While speaking on Tennis Channel, former World No. 1 Andy Roddick noted that it would be good for Williams as she will be able to get a reasonable number of matches under her belt before her final run in New York at the US Open.

“This is actually a good matchup for Serena, needing to kind of get those reps going in to New York. She’s gonna get a lot of balls to hit, she’s gonna get a look at her serve. It’s not gonna blow her off the court. It’s going to be kind of a pressure mechanism,” noted Roddick.

The former American tennis player also added that Williams played well against Belinda Bencic in the second round of the Canadian Open in Toronto.

“I actually thought Serena was hitting the ball pretty well against Belinda Bencic, I know she lost and the score-line was pretty straight forward. I think the fact that she’ll have a little bit more time against Raducanu. Raducanu is not gonna come out and hit flat inside the court, switch directions like Bencic was (doing) and kind of bully Serena’s movement,’’ he observed.

Roger Federer’s former coach Paul Annacone aligned with Roddick’s views and stated that things will start looking good for the 23-time Major champion if she can dictate the play.

“Ya, a few matches would be great to get under the belt and against someone like Raducanu. She doesn’t have the fire power, like Andy said, that can hit her off the court, she doesn’t take the ball early like Bencic does to steal Serena’s time, so this should give Serena some rhythm where she can dictate what’s going on," agreed Annacone.

"If she can do that (dictate the play), then that’s all she wants, cause then it’s going to be up to her with what happens. And generally, when it’s up to her (as to) what happens, things have tended to turn out pretty good over the years,” he added.

Ever since Serena Williams announced her impending retirement, the spotlight is well and truly on the veteran as the tennis world gets set to witness the final few matches of her illustrious career.

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As it stands: Serena Williams vs Emma Raducanu

Serena Williams and Emma Raducanu will clash for the first time in their careers in the first round of the Cincinnati Open, a WTA 1000s event. This will also mark the Brit’s debut at the tournament, while Williams has been the champion in Cincinnati twice before - in 2014 and 2015.

The teenager rose to fame overnight after her historic run for the title at the US Open in 2021, having entered the tournament as a qualifier. Raducanu battled past fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez to lift her first Major title.

Notably, it was the first all-teenage Major final since Williams defeated Martina Martina Hingis at the 1999 US Open to clinch her first Grand Slam title.

Williams, now set to call an end to her professional playing career, will grace the courts in Cincinnati one last time, starting with an electrifying encounter on Monday against 19-year-old Emma Raducanu.