Emma Raducanu’s 2025 US Open campaign came to a crushing end on August 29, 2025, as she fell to a relentless Elena Rybakina in a swift 6-1, 6-2 defeat that lasted just 62 minutes. The third-round clash at Louis Armstrong Stadium marked the British No. 1’s quickest Grand Slam loss ever, underscoring the chasm between her and the women’s tennis elite. Yet, in the aftermath, Raducanu made a striking claim: top players like Rybakina, Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff are raising their game against her, as if they have “a point to prove.” This defeat, her eighth consecutive loss to a top-10 opponent, highlighted both her progress and the steep challenges ahead as she strives to reclaim her 2021 US Open glory.
Raducanu, now 22, entered the tournament with renewed confidence, having breezed through her first two rounds against qualifiers Ena Shibahara and Janice Tjen, dropping just six games combined. Her serve, a focus of recent improvements under new coach Francisco Roig, was a standout, with a 78% first-serve percentage and zero double faults in those matches. “I thought that I served very well, and yeah, I put quite a few aces on the board,” she said after her win over Tjen, noting how her serve bolstered her overall game. This marked her first US Open match wins since her historic 2021 title run as an 18-year-old qualifier, a feat that placed a lasting target on her back. Yet, against Rybakina, the No. 9 seed and 2022 Wimbledon champion, Raducanu’s game unraveled under the pressure of the Kazakhstani’s ferocious baseline power and pinpoint serving.
Rybakina, 26, was in imperious form, her groundstrokes described as “clean and crisp” as she amassed 23 winners to Raducanu’s eight. Her first serve, reaching speeds of up to 118 mph, neutralized Raducanu’s return game, her greatest asset, and forced the Briton further behind the baseline. “It was a difficult experience facing her when she’s playing so well. I just feel that in every department she was better,” Raducanu admitted post-match. The opening set slipped away in just 27 minutes, with Rybakina breaking serve twice early. A critical moment came in the second set when Raducanu, leading 40-0 on her serve, conceded five straight points, handing Rybakina an immediate break that set the tone for the remainder of the match. “I found it very difficult to get any sort of rhythm,” Raducanu said, highlighting the relentless pace and depth of Rybakina’s shots.
Despite the loss, Raducanu’s claim that top players “lock in” against her added a compelling layer to her narrative. “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. “While I’m improving, doing better, gaining maybe some more respect, I think the top have definitely raised their game. But 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 perspective reflects the lingering impact of her 2021 triumph, which made her a marked woman on tour. Rybakina, who acknowledged the challenge, said, “Really happy with the performance, it’s not easy playing against Emma. Sometimes the score doesn’t show, but she’s a tough competitor.”
Raducanu’s 2025 Grand Slam season has been defined by tough draws, with losses to Świątek at the Australian Open and French Open, Sabalenka at Wimbledon, and now Rybakina. Her 0-12 record against the “Big Four” (Świątek, Sabalenka, Gauff, and Rybakina), with just one set won, underscores the challenge. Yet, her recent performances, including a tight three-setter against Sabalenka in Cincinnati and a semi-final run in Washington, show progress. “I think it’s going to be important to just look at the last few months as a whole and the improvements that I’m making,” she said, determined not to let the defeat overshadow her growth.
Under Roig’s guidance, Raducanu has focused on enhancing her serve and physical conditioning. “It’s only been three weeks, but I think we’ve made good improvements,” she noted, hopeful about extending their partnership. Her immediate goal is to climb back toward the top 20 to secure a seed at the 2026 Australian Open, avoiding early clashes with top players. The upcoming Asian hard-court swing, including events in Chengdu and Tokyo, offers a chance to build momentum. Rybakina, meanwhile, advances to face either Jasmine Paolini or Marketa Vondrousova, eyeing her first US Open quarter-final. “Throughout the years, for some reason the US Open wasn’t successful for me, but hopefully that changes this year,” she said.
For Raducanu, the defeat was a stark reminder of the work ahead, but her resilience and tactical nous, praised by analysts like David Law, suggest she’s narrowing the gap. “I’m fascinated to see how she gets on,” Law said, noting her ability to construct rallies. As she regroups for the rest of 2025, Raducanu’s bold claim about her rivals’ intensity reflects both the pressure of her reputation and her unwavering ambition to rise again.
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