NEW YORK — Emma Raducanu finished up practice at the US Open on Friday by hitting with a young girl she asked fans on social media to help her find after they couldn’t connect a day earlier.
Raducanu is back at the tournament she surprisingly won three years ago, and she shrugs off questions about whether she’s played enough matches to be ready for it.
Her 2021 US Open title is still Raducanu’s only one on the WTA Tour, and she didn’t even play in Flushing Meadows last year because of injuries. The 21-year-old from England has played fewer than 30 matches this year and passed up chances to be more active, but doesn’t second-guess her preparation for the final Grand Slam of the season.
“Even when I won the US Open, I only played a few tournaments that year,” Raducanu said. “Yes, they were closer together, but I’m not in any big rush to play those. I think I’d rather target tournaments and play the tournaments that I’m entered in.”
After losing in the fourth round of Wimbledon in July in her home Grand Slam, Raducanu chose not to play in the Olympics and made just one appearance on the North American hard-court swing, losing in the third round in Washington.
She decided not to play in Canada — where she was born and holds a passport — and then opted to return to Britain to practice, rather than attempt to play any more tournaments ahead of her return to New York, where she will face the 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the first round.
While some players crave match time, Raducanu said that just isn’t her.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be the player who’s playing, like, close to 30 events a year,” she said. “I think that’s not my style. It never has been.”
She couldn’t play too many in 2023, missing the second half of the year after undergoing surgery on both wrists and an ankle. So her only appearance at the U.S. Open after becoming the first player to come through qualifying to win a Grand Slam tournament in 2021 was a first-round loss to Alize Cornet the following year.
Raducanu said she feels more ready to play in New York this time and got in some extra practice Friday with a 7-year-old fan who had watched her a day earlier and yelled out that Raducanu was her favourite player. Raducanu apologized on social media later that she had to rush off after that workout and they couldn’t meet, asking followers to help her find the girl.
She did Friday and invited the fan down to hit with her on the court.
“She barely missed a ball and she has a lot of courage to kind of go onto the court with a lot of people watching and start hitting balls, and it was nice to meet her and speak to her,” Raducanu said. “Obviously I felt incredibly bad about yesterday but I feel good and I feel happy that I was able to connect with her today.”
Raducanu knows that critics of her career choices question whether she’s ready to win the U.S. Open. Seeing her name on the trophy and her picture among the champions on the grounds reminds her she has — and can again.
“I think that’s such an epic achievement and these two weeks I completed it,” she said. “So for me coming back here now, I come back with such a different outlook and just joy and promise, and it inspires me to want to do more.”
After her stunning victory at the 2021 US Open, Emma Raducanu is back to defend her title with a renewed sense of confidence in her readiness. The 19-year-old British tennis sensation made history last year by becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title, and she is determined to prove that her success was no fluke.
Raducanu’s journey to the top of the tennis world was nothing short of remarkable. She burst onto the scene as a relatively unknown wildcard entry, but quickly captured the hearts of fans around the world with her fearless play and unwavering determination. Her run to the title included victories over several top-ranked players, including Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari, and culminated in a straight-sets win over Leylah Fernandez in the final.
Since her triumph at Flushing Meadows, Raducanu has continued to impress on the WTA tour. She reached the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year and has climbed to a career-high ranking of World No. 23. Her success has not gone unnoticed, and she is now considered one of the rising stars of women’s tennis.
Raducanu’s return to the US Open as the defending champion comes with its own set of challenges. The pressure of living up to expectations can be daunting for any athlete, but Raducanu appears unfazed by the spotlight. She has maintained a positive attitude and a strong work ethic, putting in the hours on the practice court to ensure that she is fully prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.
In a recent interview, Raducanu expressed her confidence in her readiness for the tournament. She spoke about the lessons she learned from her victory last year and how they have helped her grow as a player. She also emphasized the importance of staying focused and taking each match one step at a time.
As she prepares to defend her title, Raducanu will undoubtedly have the support of fans both in the stands and watching from home. Her remarkable journey from qualifier to Grand Slam champion has inspired a new generation of tennis players and fans, and she is determined to continue making her mark on the sport.
With her talent, determination, and unwavering belief in herself, Emma Raducanu is poised to make another deep run at the US Open and solidify her place among the elite players in women’s tennis. As she takes to the court once again, all eyes will be on her as she looks to add another chapter to her already incredible story.