US Open 2024: Emma Raducanu’s Defeat

Elena Chiujdea

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On Tuesday 27th August, Emma Raducanu lost against fellow Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin in the first round of the 2024 US Open.

Emma’s performance in New York fell short, leaving the win to Kenin with a nail-biting score of 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.

Raducanu struggled to find her pace during the first set, starting the match slow and giving Kenin a chance to hit back strong.

Kenin on the other hand was running around the field and hitting the ball precisely where she wanted it.

Raducanu looked back on the game and said: “even if Kenin’s serves were very tight to the line and that set her up well for ball three. She’s a slam champion for a reason”.

Sofia Kenin described the game as a “rollercoaster match”, congratulating Raducanu for being “such a tough player and she played some great tennis”.

The 2021 US Open champion – at the time only 18-years old – looked defeated during her press conference interview. Raducanu said: “after the first set I was outplayed completely”.

Raducanu’s previous injuries slowed her down. After the match against Kenin, she said she “would have preferred to probably play a little bit more before coming into the US Open”.

 Martina Navratilova on Emma Raducanu’s game

The advice from the Czech-American retired tennis player – rather direct and critical – points out what Raducanu needs to improve about her game.

“Emma needs to take ownership of her career”

In the interview with Sky Sports, Martina Navratilova – with 59 Grand Slam titles under her belt  – goes on to say: “Emma needs more match play. I still don’t think she’s as fit as she should be”.

But should Navratilova be so critical of Raducanu?

Navratilova began her professional tennis career at eighteen. Emma Raducanu – at the time 18-years-old – also came in as a teenage qualifier and took the 2020 US Open by storm, winning her first Grand Slam.

Raducanu knows Navratilova’s criticism to be true. During her US Open press conference Emma said she would have liked to “play a little bit more before coming into the US Open”.

The chronic pain in both wrists and the surgery Raducanu underwent in 2023 to both arms forced her to slow down. Ultimately, Raducanu had less time on the court before returning to the 2024 US Open to play against Sofia Kenin.

Raducanu vs Kenin: uneven playing field

A wrist and ankle injury previously forced Raducanu to step down from the 2023 French Open. She then missed the chance to play alongside Andy Murray at Wimbledon.

After recovering from her surgery, as reported by The Guardian, Emma said: “You get so caught up in your own world that you want more and more and more, but I was on a [mobility] scooter scooting around. To be healthy and to be here, I need to cherish it.”

Both Kenin and Raducanu hold one Grand Slam title to their name. The US Open ranking places the American tennis player, number 54, slightly above Raducanu at number 72.

Sofia Kenin won the 2020 Australian Open against Garbin Muguruza. In the same year, Kenin reached the French Open final.

Emma Raducanu rose to the top in the 2021 final against Leyla Fernandez.

Raducanu’s return to New York was bittersweet after her defeat against Kenin. Reflecting on the match on 28th August, Emma said she “can learn from it and manage her schedule slightly differently”.

The pressure on Raducanu to perform at the same level as her 2021 US Open performance is high. But is it too high?

In a game like tennis, winning is not everything.

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Featured image courtesy of Peter Menzel on Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.