Emma Raducanu has claimed that top opponents step up their game when they play her after her US Open third-round loss.
The 22-year-old has not progressed past the third round at any of the Grand Slams this year, falling to Iga Swiatek in Melbourne and Paris, and in a close matchup with Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon before being thrashed by friend Elena Rybakina in just 62 minutes at the US Open.
The loss was the Briton’s quickest ever Grand Slam defeat, and after the match she claimed top players have it out for the British No1, saying: “Yeah, big time. I think when the very top play against me, they have a point to prove that they're at the top for a reason.
"Every time I've played one of them they've shown that.
Emma Raducanu does not think the top players treat her like a normal opponent
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“While I'm improving, doing better, gaining maybe some more respect, I think the top have definitely raised their game.”
After winning the US Open in 2021, Raducanu has certainly gained a target on her back as a Grand Slam winner, but her drop in form and injuries have offered less of a reason for the top players to worry about the 22-year-old.
Raducanu had looked great coming into her third-round tie after demolishing her first two opponents, who had qualified for the event, but as soon as she came up against a top-10 opponent, she was outclassed and had no answer for the dominance of Rybakina.
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Raducanu remained defiant after the match as she revealed: “But I'll take that as a compliment that they've decided to really lock in against me, but at the same time it does show I have a lot more work to do.”
The Briton continued: “I found it very difficult to get any sort of rhythm.
“So when I did have a ball, it was hard for me to all of a sudden hit a quality shot and capitalize on the few moments I had.
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Emma Raducanu was comfortably beaten on Friday
| GETTY“Every time I've played Iga and Elena, they've played unbelievable, the ball just comes through really, really fast and you feel like you don't have any time to create anything, it's just constant pressure.
“A lot of it on match-ups as well. Aryna is No 1 in the world but I find it harder to play against Elena in that kind of form. Her ball is just so clean and heavy with so much ease. Aryna hits really big but maybe makes a few more errors than Elena did today.”
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While the loss may sting, Raducanu and her coach, Francis Roug, can take a lot of positives from the hard-court season, winning eight of the 12 matches in North America.
Roug is only contracted until the end of the season but Raducanu is hoping to extend it as she keeps improving.
She said: “Right now we're working through to the end of the year, I'm looking forward to getting back to work. It's only been three weeks but I think we've made good improvements.
Emma Raducanu has been working well with new coach Francis Roug
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“There are certain parts of my game which have gotten better for sure. Today my weaknesses were highlighted but it's only been three weeks and he can't work miracles.
"I know we're doing good work and I just look forward to continuing.”