Emma Raducanu Defeated by Sofia Kenin in Match of Past Grand Slam Winners

Emma Raducanu was eliminated in the first round of the US Open by Sofia Kenin on Tuesday night in New York, marking a clash of former Grand Slam champions. Raducanu has faced difficulties regaining the form that led her to win the Grand Slam as a qualifier three years ago at Flushing Meadows.American Sofia Kenin defeated Emma Raducanu 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in front of a sparse crowd on the Grandstand court.

During her press conference, an emotional Emma Raducanu struggled to hold back tears as she discussed her feelings. “I feel down and sad. This is a tournament where I really wanted to perform well,” she admitted.

Raducanu reflected on the match, noting, “After the first set, I was outplayed completely. I think I did well to come back and equalize, but it wasn’t enough.”

Raducanu described the third set as a display of high-level tennis, acknowledging that she handled Kenin’s speed and pace better than in her previous matches. She noted that some aspects of her game were executed more effectively.

However, Raducanu faced a highly skilled opponent who was in great form, and she praised Kenin for her impressive performance.

Sofia Kenin dominated the opening set, winning six consecutive games before Emma Raducanu, who reached the fourth round at Wimbledon this year, raised her game in the second set. Raducanu had missed three break points in the first set but capitalized early in the second by breaking Kenin’s serve.

Kenin quickly regained the break, but a pivotal moment came at 2-2 and 15-15, when Raducanu hit a decisive backhand winner down the line. This crucial point shifted the momentum, allowing Raducanu to break serve again. Kenin, visibly frustrated, hit a ball into the backboard, and Raducanu capitalized with two brilliant winners to secure the second set.

Despite this resurgence, Raducanu struggled in the final set and dropped serve due to a double fault in the fifth game. Kenin maintained her composure and closed out the match decisively, leaving Raducanu with no chance to recover.

After playing only one tournament since Wimbledon and choosing to skip the Olympics to prepare for the US Open, Emma Raducanu will be deeply disappointed to exit the tournament in the first round. This early exit raises questions about the future direction of her career.

Emma Raducanu faced a challenging draw against the former world No. 4, who displayed some of her best form. In light of this, Raducanu plans to reassess and prepare for her next tournament at the Korea Open in Seoul on September 16, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Tennis.

“I’ll go back to the drawing board, train, and analyze my performance to improve for the rest of the season,” Raducanu said. “The Grand Slams are over for this year, but the Australian Open is just around the corner in January.”