Emma Raducanu makes promise to fans ahead of US Open after admitting 'frustrations'
Emma Raducanu famously won the US Open in 2021 but she does not want that to be her only major win
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Emma Raducanu has expressed disappointment about narrowly failing to secure a seeded position at this year's US Open, falling short by a single ranking place.
The British player currently sits at world number 35 and enters the tournament as the highest-ranked unseeded competitor.
She said: "I obviously wanted to be seeded here at the US Open. I think I was one spot out, maybe the highest-ranked unseeded player."
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Emma Raducanu admits her frustration over not being seeded for the US Open
|Reuters
The 2021 Flushing Meadows champion faces qualifier Ena Shibahara in her opening match.
Despite missing out on seeding status, the 22-year-old maintains a philosophical outlook about the draw's unpredictability.
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"Everything, in a way, I feel happens for a reason. I was seeded in Cincinnati, and I played Aryna third round, so it doesn't really matter," she said.
"You can be a low seed, and you can be put with the No. 1 or 2 seeds. It is a complete luck of the draw.
"I know that with what I'm doing, I just need to focus on my own stuff, my own game, and then take it to whoever I'm playing as best as I can."
Raducanu's recent encounters with world number one Aryna Sabalenka have bolstered her self-belief, despite falling short in both meetings.
The British player pushed Sabalenka to three sets at both Wimbledon and Cincinnati before ultimately losing.
Reflecting on her progress against the top-ranked player, Raducanu said: "I definitely got closer the last time we played in Cincinnati.
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"I think it's really helped playing the No. 1 player in the world and pushing her, so it gives me confidence."
She particularly highlighted the narrow margin in their Cincinnati encounter, which concluded with a final-set tiebreak.
These competitive performances against elite opposition have reinforced her conviction that she belongs at tennis's highest level.
Raducanu has assured supporters that her drought since the 2021 US Open triumph will end in the near future.
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"I'm ready. I've been practising well, and I think regardless of the result, I know that overall, I'm doing the right things more and more day to day," she stated ahead of her first-round match.
The 22-year-old expressed unwavering faith in her trajectory towards another title, promising fans: "It will come together eventually. It might not be next week, but I know it's coming."
"But what also gives me confidence is the work I'm doing behind the scenes, and then to see that translate and reaffirm the work I'm doing is really comforting."