Emma Raducanu: Respect or Redemption - Issue #15

What’s changed since Emma Raducanu’s magical US Open title run?

Written by Dove Sallow

A little over a year ago, a certain British teenager captured our hearts when she won the US Open by coming through qualifying and not dropping a set over the course of 10 matches. What we saw was a young woman brimming with confidence, composure, and brilliance. Emma Raducanu was fearless during that US Open 2021 title run. The then 18 year old looked set for world-domination. And don’t get me wrong - she has fulfilled that world-domination. Her poise and class have garnered adoration and attention across the globe. She’s brought more eyes to the sport. She’s a star, and nothing anyone says will dim that. But let’s not forget, she’s a tennis player first and foremost, and her 2022 season was undeniably subpar. This week, we’re taking a look at the curious case of Emma Raducanu.

When we first saw Emma, she was an optimistic teenager playing in her first Wimbledon in 2021. She was given a wild card and made the most of it. The Brit took out two big names in Marketa Vondrousova and Sorana Cirstea before falling short to Ajla Tomljanovic. Emma was forced to retire in her 4th round match against the much more experienced Tomljanovic. The court was absolutely packed to watch the British teen. She had the hopes of a nation weighing heavily on her back, as a British woman had not won a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977. In Emma’s first three rounds of Wimbledon, she seemed to thrive in the limelight - her crowd cheered and she delivered. But the atmosphere and pressure she faced in that 4th round match was on another level. Emma was nervous from the first point of the match, and the tension she was feeling developed into breathing issues later on in the match. Raducanu left the court to take a medical time-out when her labored breathing seemed to turn into hyperventilation. She did not return to the court and was forced to retire at 4-6, 0-3. The crowd, the pressure, and the atmosphere were simply too much for her. It was a disappointing end to a miraculous run, but I had a feeling this would not be the last we’d see of the talented teen.

Fast forward about a month and Emma emerges in San Jose. She was rightfully given a wild card into the main draw, but lost to Shuai Zhang in straight sets. (Ironically, Emma would go on to beat Zhang during her US Open title run a couple of weeks later.) The Raducanu we saw at the US Open was on a completely different level than the one we’d seen before. Just based off of the handful of matches she played at Wimbledon and the one she played in San Jose, Emma looked like a counterpuncher. Her athleticism, speed, and consistency seemed to be the foundation for her game. But when the Brit arrived in New York, she played with serious aggression. It was reported that Emma had quite a large crowd following her during the qualifying rounds in New York. With every match she won, the crowd grew larger. She found herself in the main draw without dropping a set along the way, which was a massive accomplishment in itself. In her 2nd round match, she beat Shuai Zhang handily (6-2, 6-4), a player she lost to just a few weeks prior. The difference in level and in tactics between those two matches was drastic. When she lost in San Jose, Emma was tentative and lacked a finishing shot. Her serve was inconsistent and she was constantly defending. In her 2nd round victory, Raducanu’s first serve was not just good; it was a weapon. She blasted forehand winners and punished second serves. The teen had found her game. She served the tenacious Sara Sorribes Tormo a bagel and a breadstick in the 3rd round and defeated Shelby Rogers 6-2, 6-1 in the 4th round (who was flying high after defeating world #1 Ash Barty). She faced Olympic Gold Medalist Belinda Bencic in the quarterfinals and won quite comfortably, 6-3, 6-4. Bencic is extremely dangerous on hard courts and has an unorthodox game. She’s known for taking the ball earlier than anyone on tour, but Emma didn’t allow her to play her game. The Brit took the ball early as well and played first-strike tennis. In her semifinal match against Maria Sakkari, Raducanu drew a lot of errors from her opponent and honestly handled the occasion much better. Where Sakkari was a bundle of nerves, the teenager seemed like a veteran pro. But the opponent she’d face in the final was an entirely different type of player all-together. For all the excitement and magic that Emma brought to New York, there was another teenager on the other side of the draw producing some magic of her own. Leylah Fernandez, in honest truth, had the tougher draw on her road to the final. She took out the giant-slayer Kaia Kanepi, 4 time grand slam champion Naomi Osaka, 3 time grand slam champion Angie Kerber, Olympic bronze medalist/forever member of the top 10 Elina Svitolina, and the current powerhouse of women’s tennis Aryna Sabalenka. Needless to say, this US Open Final was bound to be a showstopper.

The final between Emma and Leylah was the first all-teenage final of this century. While both teenagers were clearly in the zone, Emma just seemed to handle the pressure a little bit better. Confidence is something that a tennis player can’t fake or buy. While both players were confident, Raducanu seemed to trust herself more. While Leylah’s counterpunching was absolutely surreal at times throughout the event, Emma’s aggression was assured and steady. The Brit never went for too much - she worked the point until she knew it was time to strike. Her serve was faster and more accurate than Leylah’s, and she was better at finishing points. Raducanu attacked second serves and took her chances. Emma would go on to win the match 6-4, 6-3. In doing so, she became the first British woman to win a Grand Slam since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon in 1977. She also became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam in the Open Era.

Since the 2021 US Open, Raducanu has undeniably struggled. Her W/L record in 2022 was 17-19 and she only managed to win three matches in a row on one occasion this season (WTA 250 in Seoul). Her game is much more tentative than it was in New York. The aggressive forehand that won her a Grand Slam now lacks depth and pace. When she was at her best, Raducanu drove through her forehand and was able to finish points. For much of this season, her forehand relied more heavily on spin and she wasn’t swinging through it as much. The first serve has been a problem for most of the year, and Emma often found herself retreating to the back of the baseline. She’s quick and agile, but her balls lack the depth and placement of great counterpunchers like Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina. The media and press have labeled her a one-hit wonder and a fluke, among other things. She’s been pressured and asked countless times why she’s not producing great results. Needless to say, she’s been answering the same types of questions for the past year - it must be tiresome. You can’t expect anyone to produce world-class tennis in an unhealthy environment. She’s gained admirers as well as haters. Emma’s full list of sponsors is reportedly worth $10 million, with brands like Dior, Porsche, Nike, and Tiffany all signing her. That’s quite a lot for any person to navigate, let alone a 20 year old. The Raducanu-craze is real. It will take time for her to find balance, and it will also take time for her to adjust to her fame - if any person can ever get used to the type of media frenzy she’s dealing with.

The tennis Emma produced at the 2021 US Open was breathtaking, but that’s not the reason she amassed millions of fans and racked up endorsement deals. Beyond the blistering forehands, cat-like athleticism, and perfectly-timed “Come-on(s)!”, Emma has a sense of humility about her that is rarely seen in professional athletes. She’s gracious and poised beyond her years. But most importantly, she’s kind. The world took a liking to her because she’s a lovable person. She’s everyone’s sister, daughter, and best friend at the same time. Emma has a charm to her that very few people possess. The tabloids and media have scrutinized her life to the point of suffocation. Every win she notches is never good enough. And every loss is a catastrophe edging on the end of the world. The world is demanding perfection. They want more Grand Slams. They want the number 1 ranking. You can’t thrust a teenage athlete under a magnifying glass and say “Perform. Give me results.” She is not a circus monkey. Like any human being, Emma will need time to grow. Regardless of what her critics say, she’s brought new eyes to the sport and inspires others to appreciate the game. For the sake of tennis, I hope Emma can achieve the type of success she did during that fateful US Open run. But for the sake of a 20 year old girl, I hope her peace and privacy will someday be respected.