Emma Raducanu, the world No. 33 and 2021 US Open champion, suffered a decisive 6-2, 6-1 loss to Amanda Anisimova in the third round of the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal on August 1, 2025, ending her hopes of a deep run in her birth city. The match, hyped by some as a ‘cheating’ grudge match due to lingering tensions from their 2025 Australian Open encounter, saw Anisimova dominate with 31 winners and an 81% first-serve win rate, while Raducanu struggled, managing only 10 winners against 22 unforced errors, per tennishead.net. Despite the narrative, both players dispelled any bad blood, with Anisimova praising Raducanu’s competitiveness and their off-court friendship.
The ‘cheating’ controversy stemmed from their Australian Open first-round clash in January 2025, where Raducanu, trailing 3-0 in the second set, took a medical timeout for a back issue and rallied to win 6-3, 7-5. Some Anisimova fans on X, including @TennisTroll22, accused Raducanu of faking the injury to disrupt her opponent’s rhythm, labeling it “cheating.” Raducanu defended the timeout as legitimate, stating post-match, “My back was tight; I needed treatment to keep going.” Anisimova, in Montreal, dismissed the controversy, telling EssentiallySports, “Emma’s a great person, and we’ve always had good battles. What happened in Melbourne was just tennis.” Raducanu echoed this, saying, “Amanda played too good today. No issues between us.”
Anisimova, ranked No. 7, leveraged her Wimbledon final momentum, overpowering Raducanu in 64 minutes. Her aggressive baseline game and improved serve—63% second-serve points won—overwhelmed Raducanu, whose 29% second-serve win rate proved costly. Raducanu, coming off wins over Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Peyton Stearns, admitted, “I couldn’t find my rhythm today,” per Pro Football Network. The loss halted her climb toward a top-10 return, with her WTA Race ranking at No. 24 and UTR at No. 13.
The grudge match narrative, fueled by outlets like Express.co.uk, was overstated, as both players emphasized mutual respect. Anisimova, who faced her own challenges after a 2023 mental health hiatus, called Raducanu “a tough competitor” and valued their bond through mutual friend Priscilla Hon. Nick Kyrgios, Anisimova’s 2020 Australian Open mixed doubles partner, hyped her win on Instagram, while X posts like @TheTennisLetter’s praised her “red-hot” form. Raducanu, now focused on the Cincinnati Open and US Open—where she’s set to play mixed doubles with Carlos Alcaraz—remains optimistic, stating, “I’ll regroup and keep pushing.” This defeat, while stinging, highlights her ongoing quest for consistency rather than any personal feud.
