Emma Raducanu verdict reached by Serena Williams' ex-coach after Aryna Sabalenka plea

Emma Raducanu has been backed for a resurgence at the US Open by a former coach to Serena Williams, who won the major on six occasions. The Briton saw her run at the Cincinnati Open come to an end following a three-set third-round thriller against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

Raducanu, 22, pushed Belarusian phenomenon Sabalenka close in Ohio but succumbed in a narrow 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-7(5) defeat, where she also made headlines after pushing for a crying baby to be removed. And it's clear Sabalenka felt the heat after making a candid admission about her performance. Nevertheless, Rick Macci - who coached Williams and her older sister, Venus, in their youth - has predicted Raducanu could be one to watch at Flushing Meadows later this month. The 2025 US Open gets underway later this month, with Raducanu hoping to land her second Grand Slam title four years after stunning the tennis world in the Big Apple.

"Great competitive effort from Emma against Sab," Macci wrote on X. "The secret sauce with a win or loss. She never lost the skill just the will. Now all about the battle and harder to rattle. Can deliver shock waves in New York by going into each fight with a knife not a fork."

Raducanu has enjoyed a much-improved 2025 thus far, either tying or reaching new career-bests in both the Australian Open (third round) and the French Open (second round). She also ventured to the third round of Wimbledon, where she suffered another defeat to Sabalenka in straight sets.

The prospect was pleased with her improved display against the rankings leader this time around. And rightly so after Sabalenka appeared to struggle in parts, confessing as much in her post-match interview.

"The whole time, this is what they call ageing," she told the Tennis Channel. "I was like, 'This is what it feels like to be old.' I looked at Emma, and she was like pumped and ready to play the next point. I was there still trying to recover my breath, and I was like, 'What's going on?'"

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Sabalenka is only 27 and by no means near her twilight. However, the temperatures left her searching for answers as to why her conditioning was lacking, giving her a clear area of improvement ahead of the US Open. "I couldn't believe I was getting old, I looked at Jason [and] didn't say anything, but we need to do something because I'm getting old," she continued. "Maybe we'll do extra recovery, a bit more stretching [and] mobility to make sure my old body will be able. I'll be fighting and ready, but it just sucks feeling old."

Raducanu has now lost all three of her meetings with Sabalenka to date, having first clashed at Indian Wells last year. The Toronto-born talent hasn't advanced beyond the first round of the US Open in two appearances since getting her hands on the major four years ago but will hope a resurgence in form can pave the way to a more serious title challenge this time around.