US Open: Emma Raducanu beaten by dominant Elena Rybakina in third round at Flushing Meadows

Emma Raducanu was knocked out in the third round of the US Open as she lost in straight sets to a rampant Elena Rybakina. 

The 2021 Flushing Meadows champion has teased a return to contention in recent months but was unable to tame the power of 2022 Wimbledon champion Rybakina, who raced to a 6-1 6-2 win in little over an hour.

Rybakina will now advance to face either 2024 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova or Italian seventh seed Jasmine Paolini.

It concludes another tournament in which there were yet more positive signs for Raducanu, who has impressed during the hard-court season after seeing her progress marred by cruel injury setbacks in recent years.

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In reaching the last 16 it marks a career-best performance at the US Open for Rybakina having never before made it beyond the third round.

"Really happy with the performance, it's not easy playing against Emma," said Rybakina in her on-court interview.

"The score doesn't show, she's a tough competitor and I'm happy with how I played and looking forward to the next match.

"Throughout the years for some reason the US Open wasn't successful for me but hopefully that changes this year and hopefully I can go as far as possible."

Build-up had centred around Raducanu's ability to neutralise the serving power coming her way, with Rybakina having asserted herself as one of the dominant forces from the baseline on tour.

What beckoned as a gruelling battle proved exactly that as Rybakina recorded a first-serve win percentage of 82 while crunching in 11 winners on her way to taking the first set 6-1.

Raducanu had sought to attack the slightly more predictable and high-bouncing second serve of her opponent, only for Rybakina to win eight of 14 second-serve points.

The second set then got off to a nightmare start for Raducanu when she squandered a 40-0 lead on serve to surrender an immediate break in what would set the tone for the remainder of the match.

With every glimpse of a Raducanu moment came a fierce Rybakina response, the latter winning 90 per cent of first-serve points and 70 per cent of second-serve points while denying the Brit a single break point in a comprehensive second set.

While a disappointing exit for Raducanu, it also represented the performance of a firm favourite to clinch the title at this year's US Open.

Rybakina - who recently reached the semi-finals in Cincinnati, Montreal and Washington DC - moves onto the second week of a Grand Slam for the 10th time as she seeks her second major crown.

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Tale of the Tape

Raducanu vs Rybakina: Momentum Plots

Did Raducanu get her tactics wrong?

Former British No 1 Laura Robson:

"Rybakina has played a great match there. In terms of her groundstrokes, she was playing so freely, going for her shots. She was never rushed, that was the big thing that stood out.

"Raducanu wasn't committed tactically. At times it looked like she was trying to hit big, but then the next point she'd take half a step back.

"It gave Rybakina this easy rhythm to work with, and she was just able to put so much pressure on Raducanu."

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'Rybakina outstanding from word go'

Former US Open semi-finalist Tim Henman:

"Credit where credit is due: I thought Rybakina was outstanding from the word go.

"She came out with that aggressive ball-striking, which is her bread and butter. It's why she is a Grand Slam champion.

"She really went after Raducanu's serve, got that early break and the momentum just built and built.

"It was a very complete and consistent performance from Rybakina. It was a bit of a statement victory for her.

And on Raducanu, Henman said: "A tough day at the office. Raducanu will go away with her whole team and analyse this.

"She was up against a top-10 player, one of the best out there, and there has been a lot of positives over this hard-court season, but this was a bit of a reality check.

"A difficult day but Raducanu will learn a lot from this."

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