Emma Raducanu’s 2025 US Open journey came to an abrupt halt on August 29, as she was swept aside by Elena Rybakina in a blistering third-round encounter. The British No. 1, who had breezed through her opening matches in New York, found herself outpaced and outgunned by the ninth seed, falling 6-1, 6-2 in just 62 minutes—the fastest defeat of her career to date.
For Raducanu, this loss was more than just another exit from a Grand Slam; it was a sharp reminder of the gulf that still exists between her and the sport’s elite. Despite a season marked by improved health and a return to form, the 22-year-old has struggled to make inroads against the game’s top-tier talent, particularly Grand Slam champions like Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Swiatek. As Raducanu herself put it after the match, “I think when the very top play against me, they have a point to prove that they're at the top, and they're there for a reason. I think every time I've played one, they've kind of shown that.”
Indeed, the statistics tell a stark story. Raducanu has now lost eight consecutive matches to top-10 ranked opponents and has managed just three wins in eighteen such contests throughout her career. Her 2025 Grand Slam campaign saw her bow out to high-ranked players at every turn: Iga Swiatek at the Australian and French Opens, Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon, and, most recently, Rybakina at Flushing Meadows. Each defeat has highlighted both her progress and the areas where work remains.
Despite the setback, Raducanu’s year has not been without positives. After two injury-plagued seasons, she’s enjoyed a largely healthy 2025, climbing back into the world’s top 40 and currently sitting at No. 36. She reached the second round at Roland Garros and the third round in Melbourne, both personal bests at those events. Her serve, once a liability, has become a more potent weapon—she didn’t drop serve in her first two US Open matches—but faltered under Rybakina’s relentless pressure. “Developing my serve is important—it has got better but I think it can be even better,” Raducanu admitted. “The ball after the serve as well, so I'm ready for a fast return, that's where I have some big work to do.”
Rybakina, for her part, was quick to acknowledge Raducanu’s tenacity, even if the scoreline suggested otherwise. “I’m really happy with the performance,” the Kazakh star said. “It’s always not easy to play against Emma, even sometimes the score doesn’t show, but she’s a tough competitor.” The numbers certainly reflected Rybakina’s dominance: she won 86% of her first-serve points, hit 23 winners to Raducanu’s 8, and never faced a break point. Raducanu, meanwhile, struggled to get a foothold, particularly in the rallies, often finding herself pinned behind the baseline and unable to dictate play.
So, what’s next for Raducanu as she looks to bridge the gap to the very top? Her recent appointment of Francisco Roig, former coach to Rafael Nadal, has been met with cautious optimism. The pair began working together in mid-August, and Raducanu credits Roig with helping her make “good improvements” in a short time. “It's only been three weeks, but it's been a pretty successful three weeks in a sense that we've made good improvements,” she said. “Today my weaknesses were highlighted, but he can't really work miracles.”
British tennis pundits, including former No. 1 Annabel Croft, have praised the partnership. Croft observed, “He is very tactical, very demanding and very vocal. I think she likes that and she will respond to it. You couldn't get better than someone who has worked with such a great champion for a number of years.” Roig’s influence was evident in Raducanu’s improved serving and tactical awareness, but the match against Rybakina exposed lingering vulnerabilities, especially when facing opponents with overwhelming firepower.
There’s also been discussion about how Raducanu might better prepare for these high-octane encounters. Some experts, like Croft, have suggested that training with male players between tournaments could help her adjust to the pace and intensity she faces against the likes of Rybakina and Sabalenka. “When you see her not coping with the pace of a shot, it makes me think that all of her training has to be done with power players,” Croft remarked, referencing Steffi Graf’s famously rigorous practice routines with male hitting partners.
Raducanu herself is under no illusions about the challenges ahead. “Depending on the day, depending on how we match up, I think I'm getting better overall,” she reflected. “I think I'm improving for sure in the last few months. I just need to keep consistent and put this one behind.” Consistency, she knows, will be key—not just in results, but in her approach to training, coaching, and match preparation. With her ranking on the rise, securing a seeding at future Grand Slams is now a realistic target, one that could help her avoid early clashes with the world’s best.
Looking ahead, Raducanu plans to return to action during the Asian hard-court swing in September, giving her a fresh set of opportunities to test her progress and continue her partnership with Roig. “I've lost to Iga twice, Aryna, and Elena, so it's tough,” she acknowledged. “But at the same time, that's where I'm at with my ranking. I can play top opponents in the first, second, or third round. So I've just got to do my best in the next few months until Australia to just keep working to try and close the gap.”
Meanwhile, the US Open rolls on without its 2021 champion, with fellow Brit Cameron Norrie set to face Novak Djokovic in a highly anticipated showdown. For Raducanu, the focus now shifts to building on the “good work” of 2025, sharpening her weapons, and finding the consistency that could see her challenge for major honors once again. The journey is far from over—and if her resilience this season is any indication, she’s not backing down from the challenge.
