SERENA WILLIAMS will face Emma Raducanu in a blockbuster first round in Cincinnati as the legend continues her farewell tour.
The superstar pairing was pulled together at the Western and Southern Open.
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It will be the very first – and probably only – meeting between the 23-time Grand Slam champion and the reigning US Open winner.
And it could be the penultimate game of Williams’ glittering tennis career.
The American, 41 next month, revealed last week that she is preparing to “evolve away from tennis” and wants to grow her business venture and family.
Many expect the US Open to be her last tournament before retiring – 23 years after winning the tournament as a teenager.
And that would make the WTA 1000 event its last non-major this week.
Raducano takes it upon himself Williams on Monday or Tuesday.
The winner will then face either Victoria Azarenka or Kaia Kanepi in round two.
Serena burst into tears on the track after losing to Belinda Bencic at the Canadian Open in Toronto last week.
After the defeat, she was offered a bouquet of flowers while her husband Alexis and daughter Olympia look on.
Williams, who missed a year with a hamstring injury, returned to singles at Wimbledon and would like to say goodbye to Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slams.
Raducanu hopes to be able to bounce back from her in the meantime first round exit in her hometown of Toronto to Camila Giorgi.
The Brit, 19, joins the in her title defense US open later this month, she was still struggling to rediscover the beautiful form with which she completed the New York fairy tale a year ago.
Elsewhere, Rafael Nadal will return to action in Cincinnati.
He has not played since he withdrew from Wimbledon for the semi-finals due to a 7 mm abdominal tear.
The Spaniard has been given a bye into the second round, while Andy Murray will face his Australian Open conqueror Taro Daniel in qualifying for the fourth time this year.