Emma Raducanu, the 22-year-old British tennis star and 2021 US Open champion, has faced her fair share of challenges in 2025, particularly against the sport’s elite. Following a swift third-round defeat at the 2025 US Open, Raducanu offered a candid assessment of two of the game’s most formidable players: world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. Her 6-1, 6-2 loss to Rybakina in just 62 minutes marked another humbling encounter with a top-10 player, prompting her to reflect on which powerhouse she finds tougher to face. With her characteristic honesty, Raducanu’s insights reveal the complexities of matchups and the steep climb she faces to reclaim her place among tennis’s elite.
## A Challenging Season Against the Best
Raducanu’s 2025 Grand Slam campaign has been a tale of resilience and tough draws. Despite reaching the third round at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open, she has consistently run into the sport’s heavyweights. Losses to Iga Swiatek in Melbourne (6-1, 6-0) and Paris (6-1, 6-2), Sabalenka at Wimbledon (7-6, 6-4), and now Rybakina in New York highlight the gap between Raducanu and the top tier. “I’ve lost to Iga twice, Aryna, and Elena, so it’s tough,” she admitted post-match, acknowledging the reality of her current world ranking of 36. “That’s where I’m at with my ranking. I can play top opponents in the first, second, or third round.”
Her US Open journey started with promise, as she breezed through her first two matches against qualifiers Ena Shibahara and Janice Tjen, dropping just six games. However, Rybakina, the No. 9 seed, proved a different beast. The Kazakhstani’s relentless power overwhelmed Raducanu, who struggled to find rhythm. “I thought Elena played very well, and I found it very difficult to get any sort of rhythm in the match,” she said, noting the challenge of facing Rybakina’s “clean and heavy” shots that pinned her behind the baseline. A critical moment came when Raducanu, up 40-0 in the first game of the second set, faltered with five unforced errors, handing Rybakina a break that shifted the match’s momentum.
## Rybakina vs. Sabalenka: A Tough Call
When asked to compare Rybakina and Sabalenka, Raducanu didn’t hesitate to name Rybakina as the tougher matchup. “A lot of it is on match-ups as well because on paper Aryna is number one in the world, but I find it harder playing against Elena in that kind of form,” she explained in her post-match press conference. Rybakina’s ability to start points aggressively, with “balls one to four putting you under so much pressure,” made it nearly impossible for Raducanu to settle into rallies. “Her ball is just so clean and heavy and she hits with so much ease that it puts so much pressure on you,” she added, contrasting this with Sabalenka’s style, which, while powerful, can include “a few more errors.”
Raducanu’s record against the two players tells a similar story. Against Sabalenka, she has managed to win a set and averages 12 games per match, as seen in their competitive clashes at Wimbledon and Cincinnati in 2025. “I think I have to take confidence from my matches against Aryna,” she said, referencing a tight three-setter in Cincinnati that went to a deciding tiebreak. In contrast, her two encounters with Rybakina, including a 6-0, 6-1 loss in Sydney in 2022, have yielded just four games total. “Against Elena, you feel like you can’t get in the rallies,” Raducanu noted, highlighting the Kazakhstani’s ability to dictate play from the outset.
## A Target on Her Back
Raducanu believes her 2021 US Open triumph has made her a marked woman. “Yeah, big time. 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,” she said, suggesting that top players like Rybakina and Swiatek elevate their game against her. “I’ll take that as a compliment that they’ve decided to really lock in against me, but at the same time, it does show I have a lot more work to do.” This perception was echoed by former player Laura Robson, who suggested Raducanu’s status as a Grand Slam champion inspires opponents to bring their A-game.
Despite the loss, Raducanu remains optimistic. Her partnership with new coach Francisco Roig, formerly Rafael Nadal’s mentor, has shown early promise. “It’s only been three weeks, but I think it’s been a pretty successful three weeks in a sense that we’ve made good improvements,” she said. With few ranking points to defend, her goal is to climb back toward the top 20 to avoid early clashes with top seeds. “I’ve just got to do my best in the next few months until Australia to keep working to try and close the gap,” she vowed.
## The Road Ahead
As Raducanu prepares for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, China, starting September 16, 2025, she carries valuable lessons from her US Open defeat. Her focus on consistency and incremental improvement, coupled with her ability to handle tough matchups, will be key. “Depending on the day, depending on how we match up, I think I’m getting better overall,” she said, determined to build on her progress. While Rybakina’s precision proved too much in New York, Raducanu’s resilience and growing confidence suggest she’s on the path to challenging the elite. For now, her candid reflection on facing Sabalenka and Rybakina offers a glimpse into the mind of a champion still forging her comeback story.
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