Emma Raducanu ‘has done her career backwards’ as former ATP star reacts to ‘crazy’ stat
Former ATP Tour star Steve Johnson believes Emma Raducanu “has done her career backwards” as he and John Isner reflected on her run to the Transylvania Open final.
World No 25 Raducanu battled her way to the final of the WTA 250 event in Cluj last week, where she fell to a heavy 6-0, 6-2 defeat against home favourite Sorana Cirstea.
The manner of the 23-year-old’s loss was undoubtedly disappointing, but there were still big positives to take for the Brit following the conclusion of her campaign.
Raducanu moved up five places in the WTA Rankings to 25th, her highest ranking since September 2022, while this was her first final since her stunning 2021 US Open triumph.
She memorably came through qualifying to lift the title at Flushing Meadows, beating fellow surprise finalist Leylah Fernandez in the championship match — not dropping a single set across 10 matches.
Almost four-and-a-half years separated Raducanu’s first and second tour-level finals, with the 23-year-old struggling to adjust to life at the top of the game — while also battling significant injury concerns at times.
Speaking on Nothing Major, former ATP Tour players Johnson and John Isner reflected on Raducanu’s rather unusual career trajectory.
“There are not many comms for Raducanu’s career thus far,” said Isner, a former world No 8.
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“Just a big US Open final out of nowhere coming through qualies, wins it and then doesn’t make a final again for four years.”
Meanwhile, former world No 21 Johnson claimed it was “crazy” that Raducanu had such a long gap until she reached another final.
He added: “2021 US Open and this are her only two finals on Tour, which is crazy. It is crazy.
“She kind of has done her career backwards. She came on to the scene, won the biggest tournament of her career first and has now had the growing pains after.
“It’s good to be in the final, but it’s crazy she has not been in another final since the 2021 US Open.”
Raducanu’s return to action after her Cluj campaign was far from ideal, with the Brit forced to retire in the third set of her first-round Qatar Open match versus Camila Osorio.
The match took place just two days after her final defeat to Cirstea, and despite a strong start, she looked far from her best — with her blood pressure taken on court shortly before she retired.
Raducanu is next set to compete at the Dubai Tennis Championships next week.
The Brit reached the second round of the tournament last year, defeating Maria Sakkari in round one before falling to Karolina Muchova in round two.
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