Emma Raducanu pushed world number one Aryna Sabalenka all the way but fell just short at the Cincinnati Open, losing a marathon contest 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-6 (7-5). The three-hour-plus match underlined how far the 22-year-old has come since her injury struggles, and reinforced that she can trouble the very best when fully fit.
Raducanu has shown growing consistency this hard-court season. She arrived in Cincinnati off a strong run that included a semi-final in Washington and a straight-sets victory in Canada, and she opened the tournament with a confident win over Olga Danilovic — the first event in which she has worked full time with coach Francis Roig. That background helps explain the improved fitness and mental resilience Sabalenka highlighted after the match: “I am really happy to see her healthy — mentally and physically. Every time she is improving and I can see she is getting back to her best,” Sabalenka said.
Key points from the match and what it means
– Raducanu matched Sabalenka’s power and served well enough to force two deciding tiebreaks, a sign of composure in high-pressure moments even if the margins were tiny.
– The close scoreline follows a similar tight contest between the two at Wimbledon, suggesting Raducanu’s game matches up well against top opponents when she is healthy.
– Her resurgence has moved her back into the top 40 and leaves open the possibility she will be seeded among the top 32 at the US Open — which would, in theory, produce a more favourable draw at the year’s final major.
– The influence of a new coaching setup and recent match wins appears to be helping her rebuild both physically and mentally.
Why this is encouraging
Raducanu’s narrow defeat should be read positively: she’s repeatedly taking the game to elite players and converting that into deeper runs and confidence on hard courts. Pushing the world No.1 to the brink demonstrates the level she can reach when fit and composed, and it gives her momentum to carry into the US Open.
What to watch next
– Continued fitness and match load management as the US Open approaches.
– Serve consistency and clutch-point execution in tiebreaks, where tiny improvements could flip close matches.
– How the Roig partnership influences Raducanu’s tactical choices and court management in big matches.
Short summary
Emma Raducanu narrowly lost to Aryna Sabalenka 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 in Cincinnati after more than three hours of play. The result underscores Raducanu’s revival — improved fitness, new coaching, recent strong hard-court results — and suggests she can be a serious threat at the upcoming US Open, potentially earning a seed that would help her draw.
Additional comment
This performance is a timely reminder that comebacks in tennis are often incremental. Raducanu’s trajectory — better health, tougher mental game, and quality wins — points toward a realistic and achievable target: making a deeper run at the US Open and re-establishing herself among the game’s consistent contenders.
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