Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion and current world No. 37, is facing a potential rankings hit following her third-round exit at the 2025 National Bank Open in Montreal, where she was defeated 6-2, 6-1 by Amanda Anisimova on August 1, 2025. The loss halted her momentum after a strong season that saw her climb from No. 45 to No. 37 in the WTA rankings, reclaiming the British No. 1 spot from Katie Boulter, and reach No. 24 in the WTA Race and No. 13 in the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). Posts on X, such as @SteveRedfearn2’s, highlighted the stakes, noting Raducanu was “on the verge of a US Open seeding” at No. 34 in live rankings before the defeat. Without a deep run at the upcoming Cincinnati Open (August 7-18), she risks dropping further, potentially missing a top-32 seed at the US Open (August 25-September 7), where she defends only 10 points from her 2024 first-round exit.
Raducanu’s 2025 season has been her strongest since her US Open triumph, with 1,245 WTA Race points earned by July 31—surpassing her combined 2022 and 2023 totals—and key wins over top-10 players Jessica Pegula (Eastbourne) and Maria Sakkari (Wimbledon), per TheSportReview.com. Her Montreal campaign added at least 65 points with victories over Elena-Gabriela Ruse (6-2, 6-4) and Peyton Stearns (6-2, 6-4), but the heavy loss to Anisimova, where she won just 29% of second-serve points, exposed vulnerabilities. Raducanu admitted post-match, “I kind of lost my focus a little bit,” per TheSportReview.com, echoing her need to sharpen consistency.
The Cincinnati Open offers a critical opportunity to secure a US Open seeding, which requires a top-32 ranking (approximately 1,600 points). A quarterfinal run in Cincinnati, worth 190 points, could push her close to No. 32, especially with few points to defend from 2024. However, her history of injuries—wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023 and a back issue in 2025—adds pressure to stay healthy. Her planned mixed doubles partnership with Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open, as noted in prior reports, may also strain her schedule, though she’s confirmed her commitment.
Despite the setback, experts remain optimistic. Tim Henman told Tennis365, “If she stays healthy, I’m convinced the results will follow,” citing her talent. Her 22-15 season record, including a Miami Open quarterfinal and Washington Open semifinal, supports this. A strong Cincinnati performance could mitigate the rankings blow and position Raducanu, who reached a career-high No. 10 in 2022, for a seeded US Open run, avoiding early clashes with top players like Iga Świątek or Aryna Sabalenka.
