Legendary coach Rick Macci has told Tennis365 he has “no doubt” that Emma Raducanu has the game to contend for more Grand Slam titles.
An 18-year-old Raducanu stunned the tennis world by winning the 2021 US Open title as a 150th-ranked qualifier in what was just her second main draw Grand Slam appearance after that year’s Wimbledon Championships.
Raducanu, who did not lose a set in her 10 matches across qualifying and the main draw in New York, remains the only player in tennis history to win a major as a qualifier.
The Brit’s next-best result at a Grand Slam is reaching the fourth round, which she achieved at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2024, while her overall record across her 16 appearances at majors is 26-15.
The 23-year-old’s staggering triumph at Flushing Meadows remains the only tour-level title she has secured in her career to date.
Raducanu’s two other runs to WTA finals have both been in 2026, with the former world No 10 losing to Sorana Cirstea at the Transylvania Open in February and Donna Vekic at the Queen’s Club Championships in June.
Injuries have been a persistent problem for Raducanu since her US Open win, and she has not played since that defeat to Vekic last month due to a stress fracture in her right leg.
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Rick Macci has coached five players who went on to become world No 1: Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Jennifer Capriati, Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Tennis365, Macci declared that Raducanu is “definitely a top 10 player.”
“I’ve always been a big fan of Emma,” said the American.
“Listen, when you have that amount of talent, and you do what she did at the US Open by never dropping a set, and qualifying and winning a Slam, the talent doesn’t go away.
“What goes away is the confidence, and maybe a little bit of the fitness. So, she still has the talent and the ability. Now, mentally, is it the most important thing [for Raducanu], ’til your last breath? I don’t know because I’m not in that circle.
“But she has the talent, and when she plays on grass, she kind of reacts and is a little more authoritative. At the end of the day, I think it’s great what she did, getting to the finals [at Queen’s Club].
“She’s definitely a top 10 player, there’s no doubt about it, if you go talent-wise. But talent doesn’t get you into the top 10. It’s how you compete every match — that’s the key.
“She’s just been a little bit too up and down. But it’s only over when you quit, and hopefully she’s going to keep on grinding.”
Asked if Raducanu could challenge for a Grand Slam title again, Macci’s response was definitive.
“Absolutely. Women’s tennis nowadays, it’s so fluid. Anybody can beat anybody,” Macci said.
“She has the game, that’s the first thing — you’ve gotta have the game. She has enough firepower, and she can defend pretty good at times. It’s just the competitiveness to die for every point.
“But absolutely, she can be back in the top 10 and she can contend for Grand Slams. I have no doubt. But that’s between her and her. I’m sure she’s trying her best.”
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