Emma Raducanu’s schedule gamble backfires as crazy US Open stat highlighted after latest defeat
Emma Raducanu took a big risk by playing only one hard-court tournament before the US Open and that decision came back to bite her as she made a first-round exit from the final Grand Slam of the year.
The draw didn’t do Raducanu any favours as she faced a fellow Grand Slam winner in Sofia Kenin in the opener at Flushing Meadows and it was the 2020 Australian Open winner who emerged with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
Raducanu is now 7-2 at the US Open, but that statistic is a bit more bizarre when you consider her seven wins came during her debut at the tournament when she went all the way.
Outside of her 2021 fairytale trophy run, Raducanu is yet to taste victory at Flushing Meadows as she lost in the first round during her title defence in 2022, missed the tournament in 2023 as she was recovering from surgery before another first-round defeat on Tuesday.
Kenin herself admitted that “the third set could’ve gone either way”, but the American’s decision to play regularly ahead of the US Open may well have paid off.
“It was a rollercoaster. Emma is such a tough player,” she said. “She played some great tennis. I’m just happy to have won. It was super close. The third set could’ve gone either way. I tried to handle my nerves. The support from you guys and everyone in the box means a lot.
“I try to take one match at a time. Emma won this a few years ago. I feel like it was a great blockbuster first-round match. I’m happy to have gone through. We’ll see what happens.”
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The pair’s build-up to the final major of the year could not have been more different as Kenin continued to plug away as she played a host of matches ahead of the US Open, despite not being in form.
The American competed at the Tennis In The Land Event, played doubles at Cincinnati, played singles and doubles in Canada and singles in Washington DC. She was 1-3 in singles and 3-2 in doubles since Wimbledon.
Raducanu by contrast played just one tournament after Wimbledon, the Citi DC Open where she won two matches before losing in the quarter-final with that match taking place on August 2.
Her decision not to play qualifiers in Cincinnati came under fire and her defeat will no doubt lead to more questions about whether or not she should be playing more.
“I have always done things a little bit differently. I mix and match. I don’t think I will ever be the player who’s close to 30 events a year. I think that’s not my style – it never has been,” the 21-year-old said before the US Open.
Raducanu has signed up for just one event during the Asian Swing, the Korea Open, and don’t expect her to change her stance on playing more matches.
