Emma Raducanu gears up for her US Open return, hoping to end a grim run of first-round exits since her historic 2021 triumph at flushing meadows

Emma Raducanu is preparing for another shot at redemption in New York as she begins her US Open campaign, three years after her sensational breakthrough shocked the sporting world. The Briton, who was just 18 when she stormed through qualifying and claimed the 2021 crown without dropping a set, has never managed to replicate that magic at Flushing Meadows. Instead, her time in the Big Apple has become a story of frustration, setbacks and lingering shadows of expectation.

Since lifting the trophy in 2021, Raducanu has endured a barren run on the hard courts of New York. Her title defence ended abruptly in 2022 when she crashed out in the opening round. A year later, she skipped the tournament entirely while recovering from surgery, only to return in 2024 and suffer yet another first-round exit. For a player once hailed as Britain’s brightest star, the cruel irony of failing to secure even a single win since her triumph has weighed heavily.

Even a glamorous mixed doubles pairing with five-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz at last year’s revamped format could not break the cycle. The duo’s partnership was billed as a potential fairytale moment, yet the result offered only more disappointment. For Raducanu, the echoes of her past success now clash with the reality of her recent struggles.

Despite this unwanted streak, the 22-year-old arrives in New York this year in far stronger shape. She has clawed her way back to reclaim Britain’s number one ranking from Katie Boulter and currently sits 35th in the world. It marks her second-highest standing since August 2022, a sign of steady progress after months of inconsistency. Behind the scenes, her team insists she has rediscovered her rhythm, with an improved fitness base and a more mature tactical approach to handling long matches.

Raducanu herself has spoken openly about the burden of expectation. The triumph of 2021 transformed her from teenage outsider into global star overnight, a shift that left her vulnerable to scrutiny every time she stepped on court. Injuries, coaching changes and the relentless media glare only compounded her struggles. Yet, as the new US Open looms, she insists she is no longer haunted by the weight of her breakthrough. Instead, she has embraced a fresh perspective.

Her immediate challenge, however, lies in snapping the New York curse. The memory of sending shockwaves through Flushing Meadows still lingers in the tennis world, but Raducanu’s opponents now view her less as a fairytale and more as a scalp. Every match carries the reminder of her past and the need to silence doubts. Her opponent for the opening round is yet to be confirmed, but whoever steps across the net will face a player desperate to prove her resilience.

Fans and pundits remain divided on Raducanu’s long-term prospects. Some argue her 2021 run was lightning in a bottle, a once-in-a-generation anomaly. Others see it as proof of untapped potential that, with time and consistency, can be unlocked again. For now, all eyes turn to Flushing Meadows, where the Briton seeks not just a win but a turning point — an end to years of New York heartbreak.

Victory in the first round would not erase the struggles of the past three years, but it would restore belief. For Raducanu, that may matter more than the scoreline itself. She returns to the US Open no longer the wide-eyed qualifier chasing a dream but a seasoned professional chasing redemption