Emma Raducanu says she will always do things “a little bit differently” as she prepares for just her second US Open match since winning the title as a teenage qualifier in 2021.
The 21-year-old will play American fellow Grand Slam champion Sofia Kenin in the first round on Tuesday, with sixth seed Jessica Pegula a potential second-round opponent for the winner.
Raducanu reached the fourth round of Wimbledon in July, but having opted to miss the Olympics, has only played one tournament in the six weeks since.
“I really wanted to play in Toronto, especially because I was born there, but the turnaround was too tight for qualifying,” she told BBC Sport.
“I would have had to play on Sunday and I finished [in Washington] late Friday night, so flying there and adjusting I just felt was too tight
“Otherwise, I just always do things a little bit differently.”
Raducanu reached the quarter-finals in Washington, where she lost to the eventual champion Paula Badosa.
With a trip to Toronto ruled out, Cincinnati was the next opportunity to continue a summer run which has brought 10 wins in her past four tournaments.
But a wildcard was not forthcoming, and the world number 71 decided against entering qualifying.
She says she is not averse to playing at that level, although has not done so since winning in New York three years ago.
“I think playing qualies is not something that I am against, because if you get through those two rounds you feel you’re adjusted to the court,” she said.
“If you’re playing a seed, you have a better eye for the ball, a better feel – it’s not that I am against it at all.
“It was just that I would have pretty much had to wait around just for one tournament in qualies and then another week off before the US Open – so I think it was a better decision we all made to just go back and work on things there.”
Raducanu’s ranking may soon be high enough to take qualifying out of the equation. And if she stays injury free, then expect her to play a good run of tournaments in Asia in the autumn.
Wildcards – should she need them – will be readily available in China because of her heritage, and with her fluent Mandarin and the comfort she finds in her surroundings, it is a good opportunity to finish the season strongly.
Raducanu’s run to the last 16 at Wimbledon was comfortably her best at a Grand Slam since her US Open triumph.
She and Jack Draper are the young British players best placed to fill the void left by Andy Murray, who retired at the Olympics.
Raducanu was set to play mixed doubles with three-time Grand Slam champion Murray at Wimbledon, but pulled out when the schedule threatened to compromise her singles aspirations.
And at the first major since then, Raducanu says it does not feel any different without the former world number one around.
“Tennis is unforgiving in that sense, no matter who you are,” she said.
“It just moves on. There’s always another match, there’s always another tournament. Of course Andy has achieved amazing things – I watched him win this tournament – but it’s a fast pace, just like life is. It’s old news the next day.”
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