The 2021 US Open remains the first and only tournament Raducanu has won as a professional. Over two and a half years later, injuries, pressure, and sky-high expectations have taken their toll, leaving her struggling to manage the overwhelming fame that followed her triumph.
Is Emma Raducanu a one-hit wonder?
Under fire
Emma Raducanu has drawn criticism from tennis fans following her loss to world No. 101 Cristina Bucsa in the first round of the Singapore Open on Monday, 27 January. The match marked Raducanu's return to competitive tennis after reaching the third round of the Australian Open earlier this month.
Losing to World No. 101 in the first round
In an intense three-hour battle, Bucsa secured a dramatic 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 victory to advance to the second round. Raducanu had been in a commanding position, leading by a set and 5-4 in each of the final two sets, but ultimately failed to capitalize on her opportunities.
Fans frustrated
Fans took to social media to express their frustration, with one commenting, "Emma has been a complete and utter bust since her freakish US Open win. She clearly caught lightning in a bottle. A one-hit wonder. Emma will never find it again," as GB News recounted.
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Coachless
Another added, "Not shocked! She hasn't even got a coach at the moment." Highlighting one of the key issues with Raducanu's most recent campaign.
A challenging period
The defeat continues a challenging period for Raducanu as she seeks to regain the form that saw her claim the US Open title in 2021. There may be genuine cause for concern for the young star if something doesn't change.
In a different class to the World Number 2
While Raducanu was able to cruise through to the third round of the Australian Open, having comfortably beaten both Ekaterina Alexandrova and Amanda Anisimova, she hit a stumbling block when it came to World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who proved to be in a different class defeating the Brit 6-1, 6-0.
Inury-plagued
The 22-year-old Raducanu has been suffering from injuries the last few years, which has seen her go backward from her brilliant efforts in 2021.
A stunning debut
In August 2021, Raducanu arrived at the US Open qualifiers as a total unknown. Two weeks later, she shocked the world by winning the tournament and emerging as the new star of women's tennis.
From anonymity to glory
Raducanu strung together 10 wins in 18 days, without dropping a single set, becoming the first player to win a Grand Slam title starting from the qualifiers. She soared from 150th to 23rd in the WTA rankings, even breaking into the top 10 by June 2022. But despite the meteoric rise, she never quite took off.
The Grand Slam remains her only professional win
Too many things to manage
At just 18 years old, the British tennis player became an overnight sensation, quickly rising as one of the biggest stars in the WTA and one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.
Seventh-highest paid female athlete of 2024
Despite her lack of wins, Raducanu earned $13 million in 2024 (approximately £10.4 million or €12 million), Sportico reported, mostly from sponsorship deals, making her the seventh-highest paid athlete in the world this year.
More income than Simone Biles
To put it in perspective, Raducanu earned more from endorsements than Simone Biles, who brought in $10.4 million (around £8.3 million or €9.6 million).
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Premium sponsorships
Nike, Wilson, British Airways, Vodafone, HSBC, Evian, Porsche, Tiffany, and Dior are just some of the brands backing the British tennis star. However, if her performance on the court doesn't improve, she risks losing their support.
Sponsors need to see good results
Dr. Rob Wilson, a sports finance expert, warned that if Emma Raducanu "doesn't start winning games, if she doesn't go deep into tournaments, she is going to really struggle to renegotiate or renew any of those commercial endorsements and the career could be over pretty much in its infancy," Metro reported.
Intrusive thoughts
"Sometimes I wish I'd never won the US Open," the tennis player told The Sunday Times in June 2023. "I was very naïve. Over the last two years I've realised that the circuit and its surroundings are not pleasant and safe spaces," she said.
Managing wins and losses
Speaking about her erratic career in recent years, Raducanu admitted: "I had a lot of setbacks, one after another. My self-esteem is very connected to my achievements and if I lost a match, I would get very depressed. I was under a lot of pressure."
Playing through pain
A lot of this inconsistency can be attributed to injuries. 2023 was especially tough, with her season ending in April after surgery on both wrists and her left ankle. She returned to competition in January 2024, but the discomfort has persisted, and she's played through pain all season, missing many key events along the way.
A better 2024
However, she finished 2024 ranked 57th in the WTA, with a semi-final appearance at the WTA 250 in Nottingham and a round-of-16 finish at Wimbledon – her best result in a Grand Slam since winning the US Open.
And now what?
Currently ranked Number 61, Raducanu is still very much in the game, but this year will surely be decisive in her journey forward – will she finally go on a winning run, or will she go down as a flash in the pan?
Won't go broke
But even with a third-round exit from a tournament like the Australian Open, Raducanu picked up a cheque for $181,545 (£145,236 or €167,021), so even if she does lose her major sponsors, she won't exactly go broke if she kept playing in her current form.
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