"She is not a top 10 or top 20 player": Emma Raducanu's previous ranking due to US Open win should not be used as comparison

Emma Raducanu’s peak at World No.10 back in July 2022 is being described as a “totally disregarded outlier”, a ranking that she earned after her shock win at the 2021 US open at the age of just 18. She currently sits 33rd in the rankings has been a major talking point over the last few weeks, given her deep run to the semi-finals at DC Open.

Barry Cowan, a former British pro has stated that Raducanu did well to achieve her career high ranking of No.10, her recent resurgence should be appreciated on its own terms. It should not be put in comparison with the heights she reached after the unprecedented Grand Slam.

“I think that [playing doubles] is also important, because ultimately, the age she’s at, her game, she should be looking to try and improve it week in, week out, and try and close that gap,” he told Tennishead.

“She is not, right now, a top 10 player, a top 20 player. I know she was, but it was kind of the outlier because of what she did at the US Open. So I totally disregard what happened previously with her ranking.

“And you know, right now, if she were to get a seeded position for the US Open, given where she was at the start of the year, I would say she’s absolutely ahead of probably where she was eight months ago.”

As of late July 2025, the young Brit has climbed to No.33 in the live WTA rankings, her highest position in the last 3 years. The recent surge was largely powered by her strong showing at the Washington Open where she defeated some high calibre of players such as Naomi Osaka and Maria Sakkari. This saw her reach the semi-finals in both her singles and doubles play. Her hard-fought win over Sakkari in extreme condition, where she came back from a 5-2 deficit showed the kind of mental maturity and resilience that perhaps she has developed over recent months. Something that critics have said she needed to develop.

That kind of performance didn’t just give the 23-year-old her confidence, but it significantly increased her ranking points. Following the event, she jumped from No.46 in the live rankings. If she continues this momentum and level of play at the Canadian Open, she could break into the top 26 which would likely guarantee her a seeded spot at the upcoming US Open, an important position that would stop her from facing the top players in the early rounds.

Although she reached the top 10 in 2022, many now argue that she arrived there with a ranking inflated by a single, extraordinary tournament rather than a season of consistent results. The challenge now is different, rather than chasing a number that may have been premature, Raducanu is working toward building a more durable position in the rankings. Her supporters see the recent results not as a return to an old form, but as the beginning of something more stable. She is finally stringing together back-to-back tournaments, having already matched her total number of events played in 2024 by July of this year.

Raducanu’s improvement hasn’t come without hard work and challenges. In the past few seasons, she has struggled a lot with injuries and an ever-changing coaching set up. Both which have disrupted her and rhythm and growth on the court. Cowan and other analysts have pointed out that few elite players have reached the top while changing and coaches as frequently as she did from 2021 to 2023. Most noticeably the downfall of Stefanos Tsitsipas over the last year proves this. In contrast to recent years, we have seen a more measured approach from her and her team, competing more, winning more and showcasing an increase sense of comfort on court both in her shot selection and footwork.

“Well, the thing with Raducanu is, personally, and I’ve said this openly, that she’s trying to go against history,” he continued. "I believe in history, and history will tell us that players of that age, the development age between 19 and 23, I think you need a consistent message. I think you need the same coach.

“Now, sometimes that’s not always possible. So there’s no point sticking with a coach for a year or two or three if, literally, you hate each other, there’s no chemistry, but ideally, you do want that period where it’s a consistent message.

The No.33 still struggles with her record against the top 10. However, progress is evident with a win over World No.9 Maria Sakkari, one of the most physical players on the tour. It is also notable that Raducanu is now consistently beating those players ranked below her, something which she had previously struggled with post win in 2021. Those wins arguably matter more in the long run than these headline grabbing upsets.

With the US Open fast approaching, the immediate focus for Raducanu must be a good run at the Canadian open in order to put herself in with a chance of a seeded spot. This would mark a significant achievement as it reflects a season of consistent results and progress. Whether or not Raducanu will ever return to the top 10 remains to be seen, but for now she appears to be building something sustainable.

"I do feel that these tournaments in Washington, like Eastbourne in the week before Wimbledon, like some of the other tournaments leading into the Masters and the majors, I think those are the tournaments where she’s got to be looking — if she is going to get to the top ten, top 20 — those are the tournaments she needs to be looking to convert those into semi-finals, finals and wins. And as of yet, she hasn’t had that," he concluded.