New-look Emma Raducanu prepares to defend US Open title

Emma Raducanu has rightly become the face of British tennis since her US Open fairytale last year – and the time has finally come for her to defend her crown.

The 19-year-old wrote herself into sporting folklore at Flushing Meadows in 2021, rising from obscurity as a world No.150 to become the first qualifier, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era. She didn’t drop a single set, either, as she became Britain’s first female major champion since 1977.

It’s an almost unthinkable achievement. It would be like Liberia, ranked No.150 in the FIFA world rankings, going on to win the football World Cup without conceding a goal. That’s why she became a household name across the world just a few months on from sitting her A-Levels.

A lot has changed since then. Raducanu is now ranked No.11, she has amassed 2.5 million Instagram followers and was even handed an MBE by the Queen. She is now world famous and there is a lot more expectation surrounding her. So what can we expect at the US Open this time around? And what has else has changed?

Raducanu’s form has been turbulent since her US Open triumph last year, but that is arguably down to injuries and coaching changes. After emerging victorious in New York, she would next appear at Indian Wells where she would be beaten in straight sets in the opening round, despite jumping up 127 places in the rankings.

Former British No.1 Jeremy Bates aided her at that event after Raducanu parted ways with coach Andrew Richardson following their success in New York. She would then compete at the Transylvania Open and Linz Open, reaching the quarter-finals and last 16 to finish 2021 before naming new coach Torben Beltz.

Along came the 2022 season, with Raducanu suffering an