Emma Raducanu will not let chastening US Open loss derail her positive momentumEmma Raducanu will not let chastening US Open loss derail her positive momentum
Emma Raducanu’s Resolve After US Open 2025 Loss: Maintaining Positive Momentum
Emma Raducanu**, the British No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion, suffered a decisive 6-1, 6-2 defeat to **Elena Rybakina** in the third round of the **US Open 2025** on August 29, 2025, at Flushing Meadows. Despite the one-sided loss in just 62 minutes, Raducanu vowed to stay focused on her recent progress, stating, “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, because a match like that can easily get you down if you let it” (gazetteseries.co.uk,). The 22-year-old, who had breezed through her first two rounds with only six games dropped, remains optimistic about her trajectory, buoyed by a new coaching partnership with **Francisco Roig** and a favorable ranking outlook. Here’s a detailed look at her performance, mindset, and next steps, along with how fans in the UK, USA, Australia, and Nigeria can follow her journey, as of 9:48 AM WAT, Saturday, August 30, 2025.
The Match: Rybakina’s Dominance
Raducanu faced a formidable challenge against No. 9 seed **Elena Rybakina**, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, who delivered an imperious performance, hitting deep shots that left Raducanu struggling to find rhythm. Raducanu noted, “I thought Elena played very well, and I found it very difficult to get any sort of rhythm in the match. So many of them were so deep or I didn’t touch that many either” (gazetteseries.co.uk,). A critical issue was Raducanu’s inability to hold serve early, dropping it in the opening game of both sets, including blowing a 40-0 lead in the second set’s first game, allowing Rybakina to swing freely without pressure (wiltsglosstandard.co.uk,).
This was Raducanu’s second lopsided defeat to Rybakina, following a 6-0, 6-1 loss in Sydney in 2022, one of the joint most one-sided defeats of her career (eppingforestguardian.co.uk,). Rybakina’s form, bolstered by her reunion with coach **Stefano Vukov** after his suspension was lifted, made her “virtually unstoppable,” as noted by the women’s tour (whtimes.co.uk,). Despite their friendly off-court relationship—having played doubles together in Washington—Raducanu couldn’t counter Rybakina’s power, managing only three games in 62 minutes (gazetteseries.co.uk,).
Maintaining Positive Momentum
Despite the loss, Raducanu emphasized her broader progress, saying, “I’m going to try and not let [this match] get me down and regroup and just work hard and get ready for Asia” (thisisoxfordshire.co.uk,). Her 2025 season has shown improvement, with no “bad losses” in Grand Slams, though her defeats to top players like **Iga Swiatek** (twice), **Aryna Sabalenka**, and now Rybakina highlight the gap to the elite (theguardian.com,). She acknowledged her ranking challenges, noting, “I’ve lost to Iga twice, Aryna, and Elena, so it’s tough. But, at the same time, that’s where I’m at with my ranking. I can play top opponents in the first, second, or third round” (kilburntimes.co.uk,).
Raducanu’s pre-US Open form was strong, reaching the Washington quarterfinals and qualifying for Cincinnati, boosting her ranking toward the top 50 (tennis.com,). With few points to defend in the coming months, she aims to climb back toward the top 20 to avoid early-round matchups with top seeds (harwichandmanningtreestandard.co.uk,). Her new partnership with coach **Francisco Roig**, started three weeks ago, has been “pretty successful,” with Raducanu noting “good improvements” (milfordmercury.co.uk,). She plans to continue with Roig through the year, focusing on consistency and closing the gap to top players.
## Context: A Target on Her Back
Raducanu, reflecting on her 2021 US Open triumph, smiled when asked if she still has a target on her back, saying, “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. I’ll take that as a compliment” (runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk,). This mindset reflects her resilience, despite facing supreme opponents who “lock in” against her, as seen in losses to Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Rybakina (stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk,). Her 8-0 record (16-0 in sets) when wearing red at the US Open, including her first-round 6-1, 6-2 win over **Ena Shibahara** and second-round 6-3, 6-2 victory over **Jennifer Tjen**, underscores her potential when in form (usopen.org,).
Fan and Media Reactions
Fans on X praised Raducanu’s perspective, with @TheTennisLetter tweeting, “Emma’s got the right mindset. Tough loss, but she’s looking at the bigger picture” (). Media outlets like **The Guardian** noted her progress despite the loss, stating, “Raducanu has spent the past few months diligently working on improving her game, but another meeting with one of the elite only illustrated how much more she has to do” (theguardian.com,). Her focus on the upcoming Asian swing, including tournaments in Beijing and Wuhan, was highlighted as a chance to build on her momentum (tennis.com,).
