Emma Raducanu has certainly had an unconventional preparation for the US Open, with limited match play but a focused training block. Despite her lack of matches, her success at Wimbledon and the Washington Open show that she is capable of performing well on the big stage. It will be interesting to see if she can replicate her fairy-tale run from last year and make another deep run at Flushing Meadows. Only time will tell if her unique preparation will pay off.
It’s all about building on the momentum she’s got and keeping that going. She’s still young and has plenty of time ahead of her to continue improving and climbing up the rankings, so there’s no need to rush into playing more tournaments right now.
Overall, the analysts believe that Raducanu’s lack of matches is not a concern and actually suits her current lifestyle and needs. With her previous success at the US Open and her potential to beat anyone on her day, they see her as a dark horse in this year’s tournament.