Emma Raducanu Embraces Unique Approach for US Open

Emma Raducanu, preparing for her second US Open match since her 2021 title win, emphasizes her unique approach to the game. The 21-year-old will face American Sofia Kenin in the first round and could meet sixth seed Jessica Pegula in the second round. Raducanu, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in July, chose to skip the Olympics and played only one tournament in the past six weeks.

She explained that she missed the Toronto event because the tight turnaround from Washington made it impractical. “I always do things a little bit differently,” Raducanu noted. She reached the quarter-finals in Washington, where Paula Badosa defeated her, and skipped Cincinnati after not receiving a wildcard. Although Raducanu hasn’t played qualifying rounds since her 2021 US Open victory, she isn’t opposed to them.

She believes qualifying rounds aid in court adjustment. Instead of waiting for qualifying and then taking a week off before the US Open, she focused on improving. Raducanu’s ranking might soon make qualifying unnecessary and she looks forward to competing in Asia in the autumn where her heritage and Mandarin skills could offer opportunities.

Her solid performance at Wimbledon and her potential to play more tournaments in Asia signal a strong finish to the season. With Andy Murray retired, Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper stand ready to lead British tennis. Although Raducanu planned to play mixed doubles with Murray at Wimbledon, she withdrew to concentrate on her singles game.

Reflecting on Murray’s absence, Raducanu acknowledged the fast-paced nature of tennis and emphasized that the sport moves on quickly despite its legends.