"There is no indignity in Serena Williams losing as she approaches the finish line" - American sportscaster Brett Haber
Brett Haber, an American sportscaster and host for the Tennis Channel, opined that there is no indignity in Serena Williams losing as she approaches the twilight of her career.
The 40-year-old Williams lost to Emma Raducanu 6-4, 6-0 in the first round of the 2022 Cincinnati Open on Tuesday. This was the pair's first-ever meeting.
Raducanu defeated Williams in just over an hour and will meet Victoria Azarenka in the second round. Azarenka defeated Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in her first-round match.
Williams will next be in action at the last Grand Slam of the year - the US Open - which will be her final tournament before she calls it quits from tennis.
Taking to social media, Brett Haber said he finds "certain courage" in Serena Williams' willingness to confront her imperfections.
"There is NO indignity in @serenawilliams losing as she approaches the finish line. On the contrary, I find a certain courage in her willingness to confront her imperfection, as she gives fans one last chance to bear firsthand witness to her legend," Haber wrote.
There is NO indignity in @serenawilliams losing as she approaches the finish line. On the contrary, I find a certain courage in her willingness to confront her imperfection, as she gives fans one last chance to bear firsthand witness to her legend.
Post her loss, Williams did not oblige for an on-court interview, despite the emcee trying to persuade the tennis star.
While she addressed fans in Canada, she hasn't attended any press conferences since her 'retirement' announcement.
Serena Williams makes an early exit from Cincinnati Open
Serena Williams, a two-time champion in Cincinnati, couldn't get going from the word go against Emma Raducanu.
Raducanu started with a bang, breaking Williams to love and went from strength to strength.
Williams won her first point on a Raducanu error in the second game and vented her frustration when she double-faulted soon after.
Down 2-0 in the first set, Williams fought back to 4-3 and then to 5-4, but Raducanu closed out the set to love.
Raducanu committed a single unforced error in the opening set while Williams had a dozen errors against her name.
Nothing could stop the British teenager, who was looking in fine touch. The players thrilled the crowd with an exciting rally in the fifth game of the second set. However, the American double-faulted on the next point on the way to being broken as Raducanu gave nothing away.
Williams was sidelined for a year by a torn hamstring suffered last year at Wimbledon, and her late-career injuries have contributed to inconsistency on the court.
She started the 2022 season at Wimbledon and this was just her fourth match of the season.