Emma Raducanu Admits Inability to Live up to the Expectations After US Open 2021 Triumph

Emma Raducanu has yet again failed to impress at a Grand Slam tournament. For the fifth consecutive major tournament, she has not advanced past the third round. The 21-year-old’s uninspiring performance at the 2026 Australian Open is proof that she has been unable to live up to expectations since winning the 2021 US Open.

Raducanu made history at the US Open in 2021, winning the championship as a qualifier after beating Leylah Fernandez in the final. The victory catapulted her to fame, earning her sponsorship and endorsement deals. But after that, she struggled with injuries on the court for over two seasons.

But in 2025, Raducanu enjoyed a positive season, returning to the world’s top 30 and securing a major tournament seeding for the first time in three years. She has complained that last season she often faced top players on the women’s circuit because she was not a seeded player.

Finally, at the 2026 Australian Open, she had an opportunity to finally break the jinx and get a good run at the Grand Slam event. But on Tuesday (January 21), the former World No.1 put in a flat performance and was completely subdued against Anastasia Potapova for almost the entire second-round match. She fell to the Austrian in 6(3)-7, 2-6 in less than two hours.

Raducanu left the court, her head in her hands, disappointed in Melbourne. After the loss, Raducanu was asked if winning the 2021 US Open had raised expectations about her career. She noted that Grand Slam achievement early in her career made it difficult for her to move on from her struggles on tour:

With that achievement, you inevitably return to that same low level. That triumph made it too high to simply move on so soon. I’ve accepted that, and all the challenges I’ve faced since then, learning from mistakes and experience, all of that, I think, in a way, was going to happen when you win a Grand Slam at 18 in qualifying, having been ranked 350th in the world two months earlier. I’ve learned a lot, without a doubt. Little by little, I’m discovering what works for me.

Heading into the Australian Open, Raducanu had complained about a foot injury that had been troubling her since October last year. The British No.1 won just one match at the Hobart International before crashing out in the quarter-finals after shockingly losing to Australian qualifier Taylah Preston.

Emma Raducanu aims to reassess her game after the 2026 Australian Open exit

Emma Raducanu lacked confidence on the court against Anastasia Potapova at the Australian Open. She struggled with her forehand, which gave up 16 of her 28 unforced errors during the straight-sets defeat. She led the first set 5-3 before allowing Potapova to rally back into the match and claim the victory.

Since Raducanu hired Rafael Nadal’s ex-coach Francisco Roig, she has found some stability in her game. However, after her exit in Melbourne, there is cause for concern. She noted during the aforementioned press conference that she would reevaluate her performance in the second round with her team:

I think just, yeah, reassess the aspects of my game, just watch it back, see where I can improve. What I’ve been feeling and also what is visually apparent. So just combining those two and working on the things, and I definitely want to feel better on certain shots before I start playing again. So for me that’s more of a priority than getting back onto the match court.

Raducanu looks to be returning to square one after making some positive improvements in her game last season. She’s likely to drop out of the top 30 after the Australian Open, as she reached the third round last year. However, with good preparations and hard work, she can bounce back in next month’s Middle East swing.

Also Read: Elena Rybakina Delighted as Amateur Jordan Smith Wins 1 Point Slam at the Australian Open

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