Emma Raducanu can focus on new chapter of career after US Open exit

“I want to go to bed,” Emma Raducanu said, smiling, as the subject of her press conference shifted to her next plans and goals after she had been usurped in the first round at the US Open as the defending champion. Just over an hour after her defeat by Alizé Cornet, Raducanu had arrived wearing a cap angled low, covering her face, still processing all that had unfolded that evening.

Losing in the first round of a grand slam tournament as the defending champion is a harsh, torrid experience but she leaves New York with no shame. Raducanu played an OK match but Cornet, a 32-year-old former No 11 who has battled numerous more accomplished players at grand slam tournaments this year, rising to defeat them each time, was spectacular. She drew on all her nous, improvisational skills and experience to neutralise Raducanu in extremely windy conditions.

The defeat opens a new chapter of Raducanu’s career. After a year inside the top 20, she will fall down to no better than No 79 in the rankings. She has received byes, late starts and all of the privileges of being a top player for a year, but now Raducanu will return to the back of the queue. She will enter most events as one of the lower ranked players, the qualifying draws of the biggest tournaments.

“It’s a clean slate,” she said. “I’m going to drop down the rankings. Climb my way back up.”

Professional tennis places the burden on the individual athlete to make crucial decisions, and it will only come with more choices. As a grand slam champion, Raducanu is eligible to receive unlimited wildcards. Her prominence and fame mean that any bigger events that she cannot directly enter will be keen to offer her wildcards and see her in their main draw.

It will be interesting to see