Defending U.S. Open Champion Emma Raducanu Loses in the First Round

The set was the first Raducanu had dropped in her career at the U.S. Open.

“I’m going to drop down the rankings and climb my way back up,” she said. “In a way the target will be off my back slightly. I just have another chance to claw my way back up there.”

After the first set, a medical trainer was called onto the court, and appeared to be treating Raducanu’s right hand. Raducanu struggled with blisters earlier this year.

Raducanu said she has been dealing with blisters while in the United States, adding that it could be because of the humidity in some cities along the tour.

“You tape it up and move on it,” she said. “It’s a blister — not much you can do about it. It is what it is. Sometimes these things happen in these conditions.”

Cornet took the first game of the second set, and Raducanu took the next game, and then another, winning the final point with an ace.

Then down 40-15, Cornet decided to go with a drop shot that Raducanu could not reach, but Raducanu came back quickly, winning the next point to go up 3-1.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/sports/tennis/raducanu-us-open-cornet.html