Raducanu’s latest bitter loss offers a reminder of tennis’s exacting standards

In Arthur Ashe stadium on Tuesday night, Emma Raducanu was seen crying after losing in the first round of the US Open. This defeat against Sofia Kenin was particularly tough for her, especially because of how close the match was. It was a disappointing end to a tournament where she had experienced a major victory three years prior.

Despite being in a slump leading up to the final major tournament of the year, 2020 Australian Open winner Kenin excelled when faced with a strong challenger, delivering an outstanding performance on the court.

Raducanu struggled at first, but she fought her way back into the competition with determination. However, Kenin dominated the crucial moments, playing with more ease and variety. She put pressure on Raducanu and held her ground at the end.

However, the bottom line for Raducanu's loss is clear: despite her strong efforts and the exciting match she played, she didn't set herself up for success by choosing to skip the four weeks of the North American hard court swing before the tournament.

Starting from April, when Raducanu was a key player in leading Great Britain to victory in the Billie Jean King Cup against France, she has consistently been performing at a high level on the tennis court. She has achieved at least reaching the quarter-finals in four tournaments and even made it to the fourth round of Wimbledon by defeating several top-10 players. However, surprisingly, she abruptly halted her participation in tournaments.

Following her inspiring loss in the quarter-finals in Washington on 2 August, Raducanu made the decision to skip any further tournaments until the US Open. Just like the Italian and French Open tournaments she wasn't able to compete in earlier in the year, her ranking was too low to qualify for the main draw of the tournaments she missed and she wasn't given any wildcards.

Rather than seizing the chance to compete and improve her game, Raducanu chose to go back to the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, a place she knows well and is comfortable with.

Prior to the tournament, Raducanu had thought, once again, that she has always done things in a unique way and her scheduling was one of the ways that set her apart from other players. Raducanu's early victories have clearly given her the confidence to navigate her career on her own terms, but some of the choices made by her and her team appear to be quite arrogant.

Tennis players need to participate in matches regularly. This helps them improve their decision-making skills, stay calm when under pressure, and learn how to adjust their game to different opponents. Even Serena Williams, who is known for playing a limited number of matches, understands the importance of match practice. She cannot expect to win a grand slam tournament without playing any matches unless she is forced to sit out due to injury.

Kenin is a very talented player who has achieved more than Raducanu. She did well in the Australian Open and reached the final in the French Open. In 2020, she was even named the WTA player of the year. However, her performance has declined recently. On Tuesday, her level of play was good enough to win, regardless of her opponent's readiness. But Raducanu and her team need to make sure she is fully prepared for all challenges. In this match, it was clear that she was not ready.

Maybe this loss will be the wake-up call that the Raducanu squad requires. This time, there are no injuries or bad luck to blame for the outcome.

After losing, Raducanu admitted that she could have made smarter choices before and wants to participate in more competitions in the future. She also mentioned that the choice to return home after Washington was made by everyone advising her, who could improve in guiding her as a young and inexperienced 21-year-old player.

This sport is very challenging and competitive, especially with so many skilled players in the WTA tour. Success in this field requires players to constantly push themselves out of their comfort zones and face tough competition every week. It's unknown whether Raducanu will be able to fully commit to this journey.