Emma Raducanu hopeful of 'really cool' meeting with Serena Williams on Queen's comeback ahead of Wimbledon - 'I'll ask'

Williams, 44, is making her return to tennis at the WTA 500 event in doubles alongside Victoria Mboko.

It will be the first time Williams has played competitively since the 2022 US Open.

She is also playing doubles in Berlin the following week, with Wimbledon also expected to be on her radar.

Raducanu beat Williams at her penultimate tournament before stepping away from the sport almost four years ago and is looking forward to seeing the American legend back on the court.

”I remember that match, it was when she was retiring at the end of the US swing," said Raducanu, who beat Williams 6-4 6-0 in Cincinnati in 2022.

"I was super nervous because it was just announced she was stopping. It’s really great to see her back, it's an amazing inspiration for all of us to see her around, she’s the greatest female player of all time and it’s amazing to have her around and part of the tour again.”

Raducanu is playing singles, and doubles alongside fellow Brit Katie Boulter, at Queen’s.

The former US Open champion says she would "love" the chance to speak to Williams, and might be able to make it happen thanks to their shared connection through the IMG management agency.

"She has so much experience, so many lessons, it would be a really cool thing to do, so I’ll ask," Raducanu said.

Williams’ return to tennis was signposted late last year when she re-entered the anti-doping testing pool.

It was only confirmed earlier this month, though, that she would be starting her comeback at Queen’s, and she has not yet revealed any plans to play singles.

Raducanu, 23, says she does not expect to still be playing tennis at the age of 44.

"I personally don’t," she said. "But a lot of the players who do are older. If you asked them when they were younger, they wouldn’t have said it. With sports science, it’s much more achievable. 

”I have respect for anyone who comes back and plays for the duration.”

Raducanu will be looking to put a disappointing clay swing behind her as she starts her grass campaign.

She was beaten in the first round in Strasbourg after over two months out following a post-viral illness, and then lost her opener at the French Open.

”It was a tough match for me,” she said about her 6-0 7-6(4) loss to Solana Sierra at Roland-Garros.

”I found the next day pretty tough, and I knew the best thing for me to do was to try to get back on the court straight away just to nip it in the bud.

”I got practicing pretty soon after. I took a long time away from competing, so I think from Strasbourg and the French Open, it did teach me a few things that I can hopefully take into the grass season, but I haven’t had so many matches leading up to it, but I’ve been doing what I can day in, day out, so that’s all I can really [control] myself and keep going.”

Raducanu reached the quarter-finals of Queen’s last year and is now working again with Andrew Richardson, the coach who helped guide her to US Open glory in 2021.

”I think a lot starts from the beginning of the point of serving and returning,” added Raducanu.

”I think that’s highlighted on the grass court, so working on the actual quality of the shot would be where I would start.

”That’s what I’m trying to focus on, and then it’s easier to implement that mindset if you start the point in a better way.”

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