Emma Raducanu Reflects on Playing Against the World’s Best Early in Grand Slams After US Open Exit

Emma Raducanu’s run at the US Open came to an end as she fell to Elena Rybakina in the third round. It concludes another Grand Slam tournament in which the British star showed signs of promise, having impressed on the court, but couldn’t progress beyond World No.10 at the Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Raducanu had not dropped a set ahead of her clash against Rybakina in the third round. In the build-up to the match, there were talks about how Raducanu would handle the Kazakhstan star’s serve. And as expected, when the tie started, the British star had no response to Rybakina’s dominant serve from the baseline of the court.

What was expected as a grueling battle between the two became an easy walk for Rybakina, who won 82 percent of her first serve while hitting 11 winners on her way to winning the first set 6-1. Raducanu tried to respond in the second set, but Rybakina reacted well enough to win eight of the 14 second-serve points.

Rybakina went on to win the encounter 6-1, 6-2 to secure her spot in the fourth round. The loss follows a similar one-sided defeat that Raducanu has suffered against top stars in the WTA at Grand Slam events. She lost to Iga Swiatek in the third round of the Australian Open and in the second round of the French Open.

Raducanu’s best performance came at the Wimbledon Championships, although she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. During her press conference, she was asked how she feels about losing to Grand Slam champions at major events. The British No.1 stated that winning top players on tour is definitely part of her goals on tour:

I would say it’s definitely a goal and an aim. Yes, I have lost twice to Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina, so it’s tough. But at the same time, that’s where I am in the rankings. I can play against the top rivals in the first, second, or third rounds. So I just have to give my best in the coming months until Australia to keep working and try to close the gap. Depending on the day and how we face each other, I am improving overall.

Rybakina is now into the round of 16 of the US Open for the first time in her career having never made it beyond the third round. She will now face Marketa Vondrousova for a place in the quarter-finals. The tie is a battle of former Wimbledon champions, with their head-to-head record currently 1-1.

Emma Raducanu says her coach Francisco Roig cannot work miracles after three weeks together

Emma Raducanu has had seven coaches since winning the 2021 US Open, and that has brought intense scrutiny on her. She recently partnered with Rafael Nadal’s ex-coach Francisco Roig, who is known for his unparalleled technical knowledge.