Emma Raducanu has been eliminated from the US Open after a defeat in the third round to former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
The ninth seed Rybakina defeated Raducanu, the 2021 US Open winner, in two sets 6-1 6-2 at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Raducanu’s previous encounter with Rybakina in Sydney in 2022 resulted in one of the most one-sided losses of her career, with Rybakina winning 6-0 6-1.
Despite their on-court rivalry, Rybakina and Raducanu are friends off the court and even teamed up for doubles in Washington last month.
During her US Open campaign, Raducanu defeated Ena Shibahara and Janice Tjen in the second and third rounds, respectively.
This is Raducanu’s first time advancing past the first round since her US Open victory four years ago.
Her performance at the US Open concludes a successful Grand Slam season where she reached the third round in every major, falling to Iga Swiatek in Australia and Paris, and Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon.
Since her triumph in 2021, the 22-year-old has been dealing with injuries, particularly in her back.
Raducanu’s focus now shifts to defending her ranking points for the remainder of the season.
If she can improve her ranking and break into the top 20, she may avoid early matchups against seeded players like Rybakina, Swiatek, and Sabalenka in future tournaments.