Such a close distance. Emma Raducanu has pushed the world's leading players to the edge twice in the past few months.
On Friday, Raducanu had another chance to meet with 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina to meet a spot in the fourth round of the U.S. Open.
Although the UK’s No. 1 man eventually beat Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon and Cincinnati Open, the performance of No. 36 Raducanu is a sign of her inspiring progress.
Former world number one Lindsay Davenport told the BBC Sport that she felt a little lightweight when Raducanu played the top 10 players in the past few years. ”
“That feeling has left me in my mind over the past few months.
“Within Sabalenka, Rakanu was able to absorb power, but also push her.
“Faced with Rybakina will be a huge battle – but I'll give Raducanu a chance.”
Despite her high performance against Sabalenka, the 22-year-old Raducanu still won only three of 17 games against the top 10 players.
Rybakina may be ranked ninth in New York this year, but her recent sales pitch at Sabalenka in Cincinnati – a 6-1 6-4 win – reminded her of the threat.
“It's nice to see that she looks healthy and looks better in court,” added three-time major champion Davenport. His service is also a cornerstone of her success.
“But Lakanu has made a lot of great progress, too. She has a better serving rate and looks stronger on her legs.”