It is the first meeting between the pair and comes in a tournament that is a key warm-up match for the US Open. Raducanu’s form has been up since her stunning triumph at Flushing Meadows last year and she will be desperate to get things right ahead of her title defence. Since last year’s US Open, the Briton has played in 16 tournaments and been knocked out by a lower-ranked player 14 times. The Briton, who is ranked No 10 in the world, said the chance to play “the best of all time” was “a great gift”. “I think it will be an exciting match,” Raducanu told the rally. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s an amazing opportunity to play maybe the greatest tennis player of all time. It will probably be my last chance to play her ever. “I think, to end our career, I think I’m really lucky to be playing her. Whatever happens, I think it’s going to be a really good experience for me and something I’ll remember for the rest of her life. “Expectations, I don’t really know, I don’t really care. I just want to go out there and, first of all, enjoy the game that I’m going to play whenever I play it. “It’s a great gift to play her best in her exit from the sport. So I’m looking forward to that.” Raducanu’s historic victory at Flushing Meadows came 22 years after Williams won her first major singles title in New York, aged just 17. The winner of the clash between Radukanou and Williams will face Victoria Azarenka in the second round after the Belarusian defeated Kaia Kanepi in three sets.
