"I honestly think she could win the US Open" - Emma Raducanu's former coach states bold prediction after vastly improved campaign

Emma Raducanu created history in 2021 by clinching glory at Flushing Meadows to win her sole Grand Slam. Four years on, her former coach Mark Petchey believes the 22-year-old could repeat the feat and taste success again in New York.

She entered the US Open main draw as a qualifier after a breakthrough tournament at Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round before retiring. She blasted through the rounds, beating the likes of Belinda Bencic and Maria Sakkari before taking down Canadian Leylah Fernandez in the final. She did not drop a single set in the whole tournament.

Since this remarkable feet, Raducanu has failed to kick on in the fashion she would have wanted. She reached a peak ranking of 10th in the world halfway through 2022, but started to tumble down the rankings due to inconsistent form and injuries, which plagued her 2023 campaign. She has so far had a positive 2025, having reached a Masters 1000 quarter-final in Miami and rising back up to 35th in the world. Despite poor Grand Slam returns, she has been defeated in the previous majors by either Iga Swiatek or Aryna Sabalenka in the opening rounds.

With the Brit starting to play some great tennis on a more consistent basis, her stocks have risen along with a more threatening presence on court. Petchey has been sold in on the hype, and has gone as far at to say that Raducanu could even win the competiton for the second time, labelling her as an 'unbelievable athlete' and lauding her courage she posseses on court.

Speaking to OLBG, he said: “She’s close, I genuinely think she’s close. I really do. She’s got something that you can’t teach, which is complete courage. She’s an unbelievable athlete. I’d back her in nearly every situation — if she can get sets to four-all — to beat most players. And she loves the big stage. And not everybody does love the big stage. Not everybody goes out there and embraces it. I honestly say this, and I’m not saying this for effect, I honestly think she could win the US Open. I really do.

“A few things may have to go a certain way for her in terms of certain opponents who, at the moment, don’t match up well for her in game style. But if the draw fell in a kind way – and I don’t think the draw needs to fall in a kind way for her to make quarters or semis — I’m talking about fall in a kind way to actually win.”

Raducanu had not won a match at Flushing Meadows since her triumph in 2021. Early exits in 2022 and 2024 left her nervous before her first-round tie against Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara. However, she managed to get the monkey off her back in a dominant performance, knocking out her opponent 6-1, 6-2.

She sprant into a 5-0 lead, clinically taking the two break points she earned. Raducanu closed the set with her first opportunity. The second set started in a similar fashion, as she again found two breaks of serve to go 4-0 up, before controlling the rest of the set to send her through to the next round, where another qualifier awaits, in the form of Janice Tjen. It will prove to be a tough test, with the Indonesian having knocked out 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the first round. If Raducanu gets through that, a potential third-round matchup in the form of Elena Rybakina may be on the cards, with the pair having recently teamed up in a doubles event in Washington.