Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion and current world No. 38, faces a daunting challenge at the 2025 Cincinnati Open (August 7-18), with a draw that could significantly impact her US Open preparations. As the 30th seed, Raducanu receives a first-round bye but is projected to face a formidable path, starting with either Olga Danilović or Katie Boulter in the second round, followed by a potential third-round clash against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning Cincinnati champion. According to Express.co.uk, this “nightmare draw” could crush Raducanu’s hopes of gaining momentum and ranking points to secure a top-32 seed for the US Open (August 25-September 7).
Raducanu’s 2025 season has shown promise, with a 23-16 record, including a Citi Open semifinal where she defeated top-10 players Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari, and a third-round appearance at the Canadian Open, where she fell 6-2, 6-1 to Amanda Anisimova. Her live ranking drop to No. 38 after Montreal, per @PakPassionSport, means she needs at least a round-of-16 run in Cincinnati (120 points) or a quarterfinal (215 points) to climb into the top 32 for a US Open seeding. With no points to defend from 2024, as she skipped pre-US Open events last year, Raducanu has a window to boost her ranking, but her draw poses significant hurdles.
Should Raducanu advance past the second round, facing Sabalenka, who skipped Montreal but won Cincinnati in 2024, presents a steep challenge. A potential fourth-round match against Liudmila Samsonova or Leylah Fernandez, followed by Elena Rybakina or Madison Keys in the quarterfinals, and Iga Świątek or Anisimova in the semifinals, makes her path even tougher, per @ryantennis_. Her only prior Cincinnati appearance in 2022 ended in a last-16 loss to Jessica Pegula, and she was denied a main-draw wildcard this year, with spots awarded to Caroline Wozniacki, Bianca Andreescu, Peyton Stearns, and Caroline Dolehide.
Raducanu’s new coach, Francisco Roig, formerly of Rafael Nadal’s team, brings technical expertise praised by Feliciano Lopez as “the best in the world,” which could help refine her serve and consistency. However, her history of struggling against top players (0-6 against top-10 opponents in 2025) and the physical toll of a two-week WTA 1000 event, expanded to a 96-player draw, raise concerns. Alternative options, like the WTA 250 in Cleveland or WTA 500 in Monterrey, could offer ranking points if Cincinnati proves too challenging, per tennis365.com.
Despite the tough draw, Raducanu remains optimistic, telling tennis365.com in Washington, “I started the grass season outside of 200 and finished it in the top 100. That guaranteed me a spot in the US Open main draw. That was a big thing for me.” With Roig’s guidance and her US Open mixed doubles pairing with Carlos Alcaraz, Raducanu’s focus is on building momentum, but the Cincinnati draw tests her resilience as she chases a seeded spot in New York.
