Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, has learned her fate for the upcoming 2025 US Open seeding, with her valiant efforts at the Cincinnati Open falling just short of securing a coveted top-32 spot. The 22-year-old British star, who has been on a resurgence this summer, pushed world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to the brink in a thrilling third-round match but will enter Flushing Meadows unseeded, setting the stage for a challenging draw at the final Grand Slam of the year, starting August 25. Despite the setback, Raducanu’s performance in Ohio signals a player rediscovering her spark, offering hope for a deep run in New York.
Raducanu’s Cincinnati campaign began with promise. Seeded No. 30 at the WTA 1000 event, she received a first-round bye and cruised past Serbia’s Olga Danilovic 6-3, 6-2 in the second round, showcasing the aggressive, first-strike tennis she’s been honing with new coach Francis Roig, a former mentor to Rafael Nadal. “I think we practised well. I made some improvements,” Raducanu said, reflecting on her first week with Roig. Her confidence was evident as she won 75% of her first-serve points against Danilovic, a stark improvement from earlier struggles with her serve. However, the third round pitted her against Sabalenka, the defending champion, in a rematch of their intense Wimbledon clash. The match, a three-hour, nine-minute epic, saw Raducanu fall 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) after a monumental 22-minute, 13-deuce game where she saved four break points. “I served and returned really well in certain moments,” she noted, proud of pushing Sabalenka further than at Wimbledon. “She’s world No. 1 for a reason, and to have pushed her on a hard court like that, I’m pretty proud of it.”
The Cincinnati Open, held from August 7-18 at the revamped Lindner Family Tennis Center, was the final event before the US Open seeding cutoff. Raducanu entered with a live ranking of No. 34, bolstered by the withdrawals of top players like Zheng Qinwen and Paula Badosa due to injuries. A deeper run in Cincinnati could have propelled her into the top 32, guaranteeing a seed and a more favorable draw in New York. However, Veronika Kudermetova’s victory over Clara Tauson in Ohio pushed the Russian into a seeding spot, nudging Raducanu to No. 35 or 36. “Unless another player who will be seeded withdraws from the US Open, then Emma Raducanu will not be seeded this year,” a tennis analyst on X observed, encapsulating the tight race. With players like Kudermetova, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, and Magda Linette still active in Cincinnati, Raducanu’s seeding hopes hinged on their results, but none fell in her favor.
Despite the disappointment, Raducanu’s Cincinnati performance was a testament to her growth. She started the match against Sabalenka with a blistering nine-point streak, showcasing the “strike first” mindset Roig has instilled. “You’re better than her,” Roig shouted during the match, his vocal encouragement drawing a warning from the umpire but fueling Raducanu’s fight. She won more points than Sabalenka (125-122) and converted a crucial break in the second set with a second-serve ace, her first set won against the Belarusian in three career meetings. “I was able to play some good tennis for patches of the match,” Raducanu said, acknowledging areas for improvement. “With work on the practice court, I can hold the level high for longer.” Sabalenka, who extended her tiebreak record to 18-1 in 2025, praised Raducanu’s trajectory: “Every time she is improving and I can see she is getting back to her best.”
Raducanu’s 2025 season has been a tale of resilience. After a tough start with first-round losses in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar, she reached the third round at the Australian Open and the fourth round at the Italian Open, defeating top-20 player Daria Kasatkina in Strasbourg for her first clay-court win over a top-20 opponent. Persistent back spasms, which required treatment during her French Open loss to Iga Świątek, have been a hurdle, but her Cincinnati showing—backed by Roig’s strategic guidance—suggests she’s peaking at the right time. “This is my first year on tour playing most of the calendar,” she said, highlighting her growing consistency.
As Raducanu heads to the US Open, where she hasn’t won a match since her 2021 title, the lack of seeding means potential early clashes with top players like Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, or Świątek. Yet, her recent form—three wins over top-10 players, including Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari—makes her a dangerous floater. The vibrant Flushing Meadows crowd, coupled with her newfound confidence, could propel her to another memorable run. “I’m really happy to see her healthy—mentally and physically,” Sabalenka said, echoing the sentiment that Raducanu is a force on the rise. With Roig in her corner and a game that’s clicking, Raducanu’s New York story is far from over.
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