Author: admin

American hopes at the 2025 US Open suffered a hammer blow on Friday as Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe, who have both shone at Flushing Meadows in recent years, exited the tournament in the third round within an hour of each other.

Shelton, a US Open semi-finalist in 2023, was forced to retire with a shoulder injury with the score tied at 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 4-6 in his third round match with world No 77 Adrian Mannarino in Louis Armstrong Stadium. The world No 6 suffered the injury when diving on the court to win the third set in stunning fashion.

After telling his father and coach Bryan he was experiencing “more pain than he has ever felt on a tennis court”, Shelton battled through the fourth set, but he was unable to start the fifth. The 22-year-old left the court in tears.

Shortly after Shelton’s painful exit, Tiafoe was upset 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(7) by the dangerous 144th-ranked qualifier Lan-Lennard Struff on Grandstand court.

The world No 17, who was a semi-finalist at the New York major in 2022 and 2024, had a set point in the third set, but was outplayed throughout by the big-hitting 35-year-old German.

The loss of Shelton and Tiafoe, who were both in the bottom half of the draw, could benefit No 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz and No 7 seed Novak Djokovic — who were likely opponents for the two home favourites.

Alcaraz was projected to face Shelton in the quarter-finals, which many were forecasting as a tricky potential encounter for the Spaniard despite his 3-0 head-to-head record against the American.

Shelton tested Alcaraz in a pulsating four-set last 16 match at the French Open in June, and he arrived at the US Open after winning his biggest career title in Toronto and making the quarter-finals in Cincinnati.

US Open News

How Novak Djokovic eclipsed Roger Federer with a staggering record at the US Open

Carlos Alcaraz gives major update after suffering injury scare during latest match

The American continued his impressive form at Flushing Meadows with clinical wins in his two matches before facing Mannarino, and his firepower makes him dangerous to even the game’s elite when in full flight.

If Alcaraz can navigate a fourth round meeting with 82nd-ranked Arthur Rinderknech, he will take on either Mannarino or 21st seed Jiri Lehecka — which represents a more favourable draw than playing Shelton.

Djokovic, meanwhile, would have met Tiafoe in the last 16 had the 27-year-old American overcome Struff.

While Djokovic is 1-0 against Tiafoe (2-0 including Laver Cup), the former world No 10 — who often brings his best tennis in big US Open matches — could have been a tough fourth round opponent.

As impressive as Struff has been to win six straight matches in New York (including qualifying), Djokovic holds a 7-0 record against the German and has only lost one set across all of their previous meetings.

The way the bottom half of the draw has played out has arguably increased the chances of a semi-final blockbuster between Alcaraz and Djokovic.

For Djokovic, a potential quarter-final clash with leading American hope Taylor Fritz — the fourth seed and 2024 US Open runner-up — looms if he gets past Struff and Fritz beats Tomas Machac. The Serb holds a 10-0 record against Fritz, which feels like a huge psychological hurdle for the Californian to overcome.

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic admits he is ‘more concerned than I have ever been’ after US Open injury scare

The post Why Carlos Alcaraz & Novak Djokovic are big winners from Ben Shelton & Frances Tiafoe’s US Open exits appeared first on Tennis365.

Novak Djokovic spoke with brutal honesty about his physical condition after overcoming an injury scare to claim a four-set victory over Cameron Norrie at the 2025 US Open.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion prevailed 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-3 against 35th-ranked Norrie in the third round of the US Open after two hours and 49 minutes in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Djokovic left the court when leading 5-4 in the first set for a medical timeout due to a back issue that was causing him visible discomfort. The Serbian also received treatment early in the second set.

After seeing a 3-1 tiebreak lead slip away to lose the second set, Djokovic was broken in the opening game of the third set, but he responded by winning 12 of the next 16 games to seal his progress to the last 16.

The 38-year-old also struggled physically at times in his first two matches in New York and admitted after his second round win over Zachary Svajda that he “didn’t feel that great.”

Following his win against Norrie, Djokovic did not hide his concern about his body in a candid interview with ESPN.

“Well, honestly I am concerned. You know, nowadays [I am] more concerned than I have ever been,” said the four-time US Open champion.

“Even though I really am meticulous with the care for my body and I put in a lot of hours on and off the court to make sure that my body is fit and recovered well.

Novak Djokovic News

Novak Djokovic credits ‘divine intervention’ for one of his biggest career victories

Novak Djokovic makes admission about his records as he offers advice to younger generation

“But you know, age is… you can’t fight it. So things are different. I have to obviously adjust myself the way I approach things training.

“Sometimes I don’t train between matches because with my team when I have this discussion, we think that long term is better and that recovery is more important than hitting some balls in the court.

“So maybe that’s going to be the case tomorrow. We have to still discuss that and just focus on recovery and get ready for next one.”

The world No 7 also addressed how long he spends on recovery in between matches.

“Actually probably even more when I was younger; it’s just in order to keep up with the youngsters I just have to put an extra, extra hour, extra few hours every day,” Djokovic explained.

“Whether it’s table work, whether it’s recovery from using different wellness machines or good sleep, nutrition, obviously all of it, all of it comes into equation and all of it matters when you go deeper in the tournament.

“The young guys, they come in fresh and I come with a half tank empty in a sense and so I’m going to try to change that for this tournament. I don’t know if that’s going to be possible.

“Obviously, it’s very unpredictable how the body is going to respond. But one thing is for sure, I’m always going to give my very best the last drop of energy to make sure that I go as deep as I possibly can.”

Djokovic will face world No 144 Jan-Lennard Stuff in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows.

READ NEXT: Alexander Zverev tactic criticised by US Open rival as Novak Djokovic is also called out

The post Novak Djokovic admits he is ‘more concerned than I have ever been’ after US Open injury scare appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu’s US Open humiliation was complete as she was hammered in submission by No 9 seed Elena Rybakina in a match that was done and dusted in an hour.

It wasn’t just the end of a Grand Slam dream that will leave a lasting mark on Raducanu, as the gulf in class between the two players may have come as a shock to the British No 1 after a 6-1, 6-2 win for Rybakina.

Raducanu has been taking strides forward in recent weeks, with impressive performances against world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Masters fuelling hope that she was closing he gap on the game’s top players.

Yet that theory was blown apart by a dominant Rybakina, with Raducanu in reflective mood as she spoke to Sky Sports.

“That match was very difficult. I never really got a chance to settle or feel any rhythm,” she said.

More Tennis News

Emma Raducanu’s ‘two biggest hurdles’ revealed as she suffers US Open hammering

Emma Raducanu’s ex-coach reveals star’s ‘difficult’ spell in revealing comments

“I just felt that there were so few balls in play that when one was in play, I felt too much pressure to do something.

“A lot of work to do – especially against the top players – but, overall, I’m heading in the right direction.

“I’m just ready to get back on the practice court. I have some time now to work on my game.

“I haven’t spoken yet [with coach Francis Roig], but I’m sure we’ve got a lot to debrief on.”

Interestingly, Raducanu suggested Rybakina’s brand of power hitting was harder for her to deal with than Sabalenka’s, but she insisted she would take some positives from her displays over the last few weeks.

“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,” she said.

“So I’m going to try and not do that and regroup and just work hard and get ready for Asia.

“I’ve lost to Iga [Swiatek] twice, Aryna [Sabalenka], 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.

“So I’ve just got to do my best in the next few months until Australia to just keep working to try and close the gap.

“I think, depending on the day, depending on how we match up, I’m getting better overall. So I just need to keep consistent and put this one behind me.”

Former British No 1 Laura Robson is a big supporter of Raducanu, but she suggested her tactics may have been misguided against Rybakina, as she refused to take a step back even though she was being overpowered.

“Rybakina has played a great match there,” Robson told Sky Sports.

“In terms of her groundstrokes, she was playing so freely, going for her shots. She was never rushed, that was the big thing that stood out.

“Raducanu wasn’t committed tactically. At times it looked like she was trying to hit big, but then the next point she’d take half a step back.

“It gave Rybakina this easy rhythm to work with, and she was just able to put so much pressure on Raducanu.”

Raducanu has confirmed she is already thinking about her matches in Asia that will round off her year, with a push towards the top 10 of the WTA Rankings in her sights as she has limited points to defend between now as the end of 2025.

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu suffers brutal US Open loss to Elena Rybakina as Tim Henman and Laura Robson react

The post Emma Raducanu makes brutal confession as former British No 1 questions tactics appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz has said that his medical timeout was just a ‘precaution’ after he appeared to be suffering knee discomfort during his third-round match at the US Open.

The Spaniard cruised past Italian Lucas Darderi 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 to reach the last 32 at the New York event for the fourth time.

However, mid-way through the second set, Alcaraz began to touch his knee after a seemingly awkward service landing – displaying concerned looks to his team.

As would be expected, the five-time Grand Slam champion asked the umpire if he could take a medical timeout during the next changeover, before going on to receive a massage.

Alcaraz went on to break at 5-4, winning the final seven games of the match against Darderi.

“I’m feeling good,” Alcaraz clarified, during his post-match interview.

“It was just a precaution.

“I asked for the physio. I felt something that was not good in the knee, but after five or six points, it was gone.

“I just asked for the physio to take care of the knee because there was one serve left [in the second set] and I had to be ready, had to be good, had to feel good physically.

“It was a precaution. I will talk with my team but I’m not worried about it.”

Alcaraz’s third-round clash was his first day session at this year’s US Open, starting at 11:30AM – a relatively early start, compared to most events.

Nevertheless, the Spaniard looked to continue his impressive form, having won 33 of his last 34 matches and not dropping a set at the US Open, so far.

Latest Tennis News

Emma Raducanu suffers brutal US Open loss to Elena Rybakina as Tim Henman and Laura Robson react

Retired WTA legend calls on Coco Gauff fans to ‘take a step back’ after tearful victory

“I tried to stay awake,” Alcaraz joked.

“That was important.

“We started at 11:30 so it’s good that I managed to play [my game]. My first goal was to start well, to start focused, with energy and a good rhythm, and I think I started pretty well. I pushed him to the limit.

“Tried to play long rallies and get a rhythm with the serve and return.

“And after that I just kept it going. Today I played such great tennis. It was such a great performance and I’m really proud about it.

“I’m not an early person so for me it’s difficult to wake up in the morning. That was one of the good things about today. I woke up early, did my warm up. Played good.”

Alcaraz will next play Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech in the fourth round.

Rinderknech, most recently, defeated world No 3 Alexander Zverev 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 in the first round of Wimbledon, and battled through a tough five-set battle against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in his second round match in New York.

 

The post Carlos Alcaraz gives major update after suffering injury scare during latest match appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu suffered a heavy defeat to Elena Rybakina at the 2025 US Open, and legendary coach Rick Macci has weighed in on the Brit’s quest to close the gap to world’s best players.

The world No 36 was dismantled 6-1, 6-2 by 10th-ranked Rybakina, a Wimbledon champion in 2022, in the third round of the US Open.

Raducanu shocked the tennis world at the 2021 US Open when — as an 18-year-old qualifier ranked 150th in the world — she stormed through the draw without losing a set to win what remains her only career title. She is the only qualifier in tennis history to win a Grand Slam.

Since that staggering breakthrough four years ago, Raducanu has endured some challenging times on tour, with injuries hampering her progress. She underwent surgeries on both her wrists and her ankle in 2023.

The 22-year-old has enjoyed the most consistent period of her career since the Miami Open in March, where she started working with Mark Petchey, who she has since replaced with Rafael Nadal’s former coach Francisco Roig.

Raducanu, who reached a career-high ranking of 10th in 2022, has been backed to return to the top 10 by Macci, who spoke exclusively to Tennis365.

“One thousand percent, she is a top ten talent. And let’s face it, there’s a fine line between winning and losing. There’s a fine line with that confidence,” said the American, who coached Serena and Venus Williams.

Emma Raducanu News

Emma Raducanu suffers brutal US Open loss to Elena Rybakina as Tim Henman and Laura Robson react

Emma Raducanu’s ex-coach reveals star’s ‘difficult’ spell in revealing comments

“And as she gets more confident and she starts beating the top players, not only can she be in the top 10, she can definitely contend for a Grand Slam, because she has enough game, because she’s done it before.”

Tennis365 asked Macci to identify the biggest hurdle Raducanu must overcome to return to the top 10 and challenge for Grand Slams again.

“I think it’s two things, I just think that she needs to keep competing and play on her instincts and not overthink it. That’s number one,” Macci assessed.

“But I think the wildcard with her is to stay injury-free. You gotta understand, she kind of had the daily double on the comeback, you know, she had surgery and then you don’t play for a while. So, you’re not playing, and an injury — that takes a long time.

“So, if she can stay injury-free and just get a lot of matches, get some good wins. And let’s face it, anybody who plays her, they know that she’s capable of beating them now. Maybe they didn’t look at it a year ago, but now that she’s dropped a few players, played a lot of players close… and she has weapons.

“Listen, if you can hurt people and you have weapons, you can beat anybody, anytime, anywhere. She’s definitely top 10 and it could happen a lot sooner than later.”

READ NEXT: Iga Swiatek gets glowing Serena Williams comparison from American legend’s former coach

The post Emma Raducanu’s ‘two biggest hurdles’ revealed as she suffers US Open hammering appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu made a strong start to her 2025 US Open campaign, but the 22-year-old Brit’s run ended with a chastening third round defeat to a hugely impressive Elena Rybakina.

No 9 seed Rybakina delivered a devastating display of big-hitting tennis to crush Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 in just an hour and three minutes in Louis Armstrong Stadium at Flushing Meadows.

The third round encounter promised to be a blockbuster given the form of Raducanu, who dropped only three games in each of her first two matches.

Raducanu’s first two opponents, Ena Shibahara and Janice Tjen, were ranked 128th and 149th respectively, and it proved to be a monumental step-up against Rybakina — who won Wimbledon in 2022.

The 2021 US Open winner pushed world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka hard in matches in Cincinnati and Wimbledon in the past two months, but she was never in this contest with the world No 10.

The world No 36 lost her serve twice in each set and did not create a single break point against the big-serving Rybakina, despite the 26-year-old Kazakh landing just 47% of her first serves.

In her on-court interview, Rybakina said: “Really happy with the performance, it’s not easy playing against Emma.

“Sometimes the score doesn’t show, but she’s a tough competitor.

US Open News

Emma Raducanu’s ex-coach reveals star’s ‘difficult’ spell in revealing comments

Iga Swiatek gets glowing Serena Williams comparison from American legend’s former coach

“I’m pretty happy with how I played today and I’m looking forward to the next match.

“Throughout the years, for some reason the US Open wasn’t successful for me. Hopefully that changes this year and I can go as far as possible.”

Speaking on Sky Sports, former British No 1 Laura Robson praised Rybakina while questioning Raducanu’s tactical inconsistency.

“Rybakina has played a great match there,” said the former world No 27.

“In terms of her groundstrokes, she was playing so freely, going for her shots. She was never rushed, that was the big thing that stood out.

“Raducanu wasn’t committed tactically. At times it looked like she was trying to hit big, but then the next point she’d take half a step back.

“It gave Rybakina this easy rhythm to work with, and she was just able to put so much pressure on Raducanu.”

Former world No 4 Tim Henman also gave his verdict: “Credit where credit is due: I thought Rybakina was outstanding from the word go.

“She came out with that aggressive ball-striking, which is her bread and butter. It’s why she is a Grand Slam champion.

“She really went after Raducanu’s serve, got that early break and the momentum just built and built. It was a very complete and consistent performance from Rybakina.”

Rybakina will play either Jasmine Paolini or Marketa Vondrousova in the fourth round.

READ NEXT: Goran Ivanisevic’s true opinion on Elena Rybakina revealed after split as Wimbledon title claim made

The post Emma Raducanu suffers brutal US Open loss to Elena Rybakina as Tim Henman and Laura Robson react appeared first on Tennis365.

After coming through a difficult second round match at the 2025 US Open, Iga Swiatek was left stunned and irritated by a question she was asked in her post-match press conference.

Swiatek defeated world No 66 Suzan Lamens 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in Arthur Ashe Stadium to progress to the third round at Flushing Meadows, where she is chasing her second US Open title and seventh Grand Slam crown.

The world No 2 won the opening set routinely and looked on course for a convincing win as she was twice up a break at 2-1 and 4-3 in the second set. The Pole was, however, derailed by issues with her forehand late in the second set, while her 26-year-old Dutch opponent impressed.

“I served better [in the third set] than in the previous sets,” Swiatek said in her on-court interview.

“I wanted to be pretty confident with my serve and go for it. I’m happy that I closed it pretty fast, even though I lost one break.

“It wasn’t an easy match and I made some mistakes. I’m happy that at the end I could be more proactive.”

Iga Swiatek News

Iga Swiatek gets glowing Serena Williams comparison from American legend’s former coach

Former British No 1 identifies where Iga Swiatek went wrong amid US Open slump

In the Polish section of her press conference, journalist Tomek Moczerniuk asked Swiatek if she had considered putting beads in her hair.

The full question was: “This is New York, people here like to put on a show, whether good or bad. Some scream on the court, some quarrel, some enter the court with labubu dolls. Have you ever thought of, I don’t know, putting beads in your hair (translated from Polish)?”

Swiatek, who was visibly taken aback and annoyed by the question, responded: “What kind of question is that? Did you think about putting beads in your hair? No. What’s going on here? What sort of a question was that?”

Moczerniuk can be seen walking out of the press conference after Swiatek’s reaction, with the Polish star staring at the reporter and shaking her head.

Tell me it’s not real…

The question is whether Iga wanted to weave beads into her hair pic.twitter.com/CBDV5EFw3m

— S.|198km/h| (@Sarilec) August 28, 2025

On his Twitter/X account, Moczerniuk addressed the backlash he has faced and explained his intention was to “lighten the mood” after a “tense” press conference.

“The conversation with Iga got a bit out of hand,” Moczerniuk wrote. “Unfortunately, I got caught in the crossfire because she didn’t like that I asked if — since New Yorkers like a show — she had ever thought about lightly shocking them, for example, by weaving beads into her hair.

“You need to understand the whole context. The end of the conference was tense, and I wanted to lighten the mood a bit and ask a casual, relaxed question. But it turned out as it did, and I can’t turn back time. I’ll apologise to [Iga] at the earliest opportunity.”

READ NEXT: Iga Swiatek hits out at Taylor Swift snipers as US Open press conference is dominated by big news

The post Iga Swiatek left in disbelief as US Open journalist storms out of press conference after row appeared first on Tennis365.

Coco Gauff was overcome with emotion during and after her US Open match against Donna Vekic as the old habits kicked in again and she had to dig deep to get herself back on track.

Having brought in biomechanical coach Gavin MacMillan – the man who helped Aryna Sabalenka to overcome her serving hiccups – just days before the start of the tournament, Gauff put in a lot of extra hours on the practice court in an attempt to fix her own serving woes.

She admitted after her difficult opening match against Ajla Tomljanovic, which required three sets, that the process had been mentally exhausting and there were days when her shoulder was hurting as they tried to change her service motion.

The two-time Grand Slam winner had served 320 double faults before the start of the US Open, and she added another 10 to her tally during the Tomljanovic match.

And 330 has increased to 338 after she sent down eight more double faults during the win over Vekic in the second round with two of those coming at 4-4 in the opening set as the Croatian broke to go 5-4 up.

Coco Gauff News

Has Coco Gauff already written off this year’s US Open after candid admission?

Coco Gauff told she has ‘unlimited potential’ by Serena Williams’ ex-coach after major shake-up

Gauff broke down during the changeover as she started crying, but the reigning French Open champion’s never-say-die attitude helped her to battle on and she eventually won the set via a tie-breaker before settling down in the second set for a 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 win.

And there were more tears during the on-court interviews as she had to take another moment to compose herself before saying: “Honestly, today was a tough match for me, but I’m just happy with how I was able to manage.

“It’s been a rough couple of weeks. I’m just happy to be back on this court, and you guys bring me so much joy. You guys really help me a lot. I’m doing this for myself, but I’m also doing it for you, and no matter how tough it gets inside, you can do it.”

Gauff was broken four times in the opening set, but the good news for her is veteran Vekic also struggled and she managed to break four times herself. The second set was much better as the American broke twice and served only one double fault.

.@CocoGauff was emotional after winning her second round match at the US Open pic.twitter.com/py1L7eXKm0

— ESPN (@espn) August 29, 2025

So what was going through her mind when she was struggling with her serve?

“I was just trying to tell myself to breathe, and honestly, just putting another ball in the court and just trying to remember the things that I do well,” she said.

“I don’t remember a lot at the end of the first set, but it’s kind of amazing that I was able to get out of that one. Once I was able to reset, and went to the bathroom, splashed some water on my face, after that I felt a lot better out here.”

The draw gets tougher from here on in as she faces her first seeded player in the 28th seeded Magdalena Fręch next and she gets through that, then she will take on either 15th seed Daria Kasatkina or two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka (23) for a place in the quarter-final.

The post Video of emotional Coco Gauff crying after latest tough US Open victory appeared first on Tennis365.

Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci has lauded Iga Swiatek’s “relentless” mentality and compared the Polish star to his legendary former student.

In 1991, Macci started coaching Serena Williams, who was 10 years old, as well as her sister, Venus, who was 11. The seven-time USPTA national coach of the year worked with the sisters until 1995, and he has also trained Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick, Mary Pierce and Anastasia Myskina among other future stars.

Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles — an Open Era women’s record — during a staggering career spanning from 1995 to 2022.

Swiatek secured her sixth major at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, where she delivered a stunning performance to demolish Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final. The 24-year-old is yet to lose a Grand Slam championship match.

In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Macci if he sees some of Serena Williams’ mentality and ruthlessness in Iga Swiatek.

“100%, and that’s the wildcard,” Macci said.

“That’s what separates great from good. They’re like a pit bull, they get a hold of you, they don’t let go. That’s what I always respected about Iga.

Rick Macci Exclusives

Mirra Andreeva backed in bold US Open prediction over Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek & Coco Gauff

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s Grand Slam totals predicted by legendary coach

“You saw it a little bit more over the years on the clay, she would just grind you down with brutal angles and you could see she was almost like a female version of [Rafael] Nadal. She would just grind you down.

“But yeah, I see that same focus, mentality, as you see in all great players, but Serena was the same way. Just relentless and… they probably feel they never lost, they just ran out of time.

“Champions are wired different and they think different and I put Iga in that category. And as long as she has the desire, I think bigger and better things are to come.”

The American has also predicted how many Grand Slams he thinks Swiatek will win in her career.

“Iga deserves a lot of credit… simply because, since 2020, she’s been the most dominant player by far,” Macci told Tennis365.

“Especially when she gets to the finals [at Grand Slams] — she’s won every time. That 37-match win streak [in 2022]. I mean, go back in time, you don’t see much of that.

“And you also gotta look at, there’s been a lot of ‘bagels’ (6-0 sets). She’s beat people badly. I think whenever you can dominate like that at the highest level, it’s rare air.

“She will definitely go down as one of the greatest players ever. Iga will be a double digit Grand Slam winner. As long as she has the desire.”

Swiatek is currently competing at the 2025 US Open, where she is vying for a second title after winning the 2022 edition of the hard-court major in New York.

READ NEXT: Iga Swiatek’s ‘shocked’ admission as she’s asked about Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova reunion

The post Iga Swiatek gets glowing Serena Williams comparison from American legend’s former coach appeared first on Tennis365.

Emma Raducanu is reviving memories of her 2021 US Open title win, according to former Flushing Meadows champion Andy Roddick.

Raducanu has stormed through the first two rounds in New York for the loss of just six games, building on the momentum she took into the final Grand Slam of the year as she looks to break back into the top 30 of the WTA Rankings with what would be the biggest win of her career since her maiden Grand Slam victory.

Raducanu is preparing to face former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Friday, with Roddick claiming the British No 1 is starting to get back to the form that saw her shock the tennis world with her US Open win four years ago.

“Emma Raducanu… it’s feeling a lot like 2021,” he said on the latest edition of his Served podcast.

“She had not won a match at the US Open since she won the tournament as a qualifier. Now she is through to the third round and she has spent two hours and two minutes on court.

More Tennis News

Emma Raducanu reveals if her goal is to win the US Open after dominant start

Elena Rybakina notes ‘happy’ Emma Raducanu’s growth ahead of their US Open clash

“She didn’t spend much time on court when we won the title and she’s looking really good.”

Raducanu now faces a huge test of her credentials as she takes on former Rybakina in the third round on Friday, as the unseeded star looks to beat at top ten rival in a Grand Slam event for only the second time after her win against Maria Sakarri at Wimbledon last year.

“I think I’ve had some tough draws but that also comes with the ranking I’m at. I have to accept it, I’m not seeded,” Raducanu told the PA news agency:

“Playing these top opponents, you get a feel for it every time. It’s difficult. Right now I’m just working on developing and building my game.

“Of course, if I’m going to want to win a grand slam, you have to beat all the players in the draw, but I don’t think right now that’s my goal or my objective. I’m not trying to win the tournament, to be honest.

“Of course, I’ll do my best but I think I’ve put things into perspective with where I’m at and I’m just working on doing everything I can as best as possible and putting level on the court.

“I need to play these top girls and I think a win against one of them gives you a lot of confidence in general, but I know I just need to keep doing the right things day to day and the results I can’t really control.

“But I think I’m just working towards getting closer and closer to the top ones.”

She looked forward to the Rybakina clash as she added: “She’s been at the top of the game for so long and very dominant and has big weapons, has a huge serve and big ground strokes,” said Raducanu of Rybakina.

“So I do want to see how my game suits and fits against the top. I still think I have a long way to go, but I have been making steps towards getting closer and narrowing that gap. I think I have to take confidence from my matches against Aryna.

“But Elena is a different opponent. She beat Aryna in Cincy in straight sets. It’s going to be a tough match.”

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu reveals bizarre US Open plan that leaves Tim Henman speechless

The post Andy Roddick makes big claim as Emma Raducanu marches on at the US Open appeared first on Tennis365.