Emma Raducanu famously triumphed at the US Open in 2021 as the first qualifier in the Open Era to clinch a major title.
The 18-year-old took New York by storm, winning 10 consecutive matches without dropping a set to claim an emphatic victory and establish a name for herself in the tennis world.
Raducanu has been hampered by injuries in the years that followed this memorable run, but is back at Flushing Meadows with the aim of bettering her first-round loss that came in 2022.
The Brit was absent last year and will have to start strong on Tuesday as she faces a dangerous test in former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in her opening match.
- READ MORE: The full US Open draw
Who has Emma Raducanu picked for the men’s US Open title?
Novak Djokovic is the reigning champion after cruising to his 24th major crown in 2023 and he appears to have shaken off the setback suffered at Wimbledon this year by clinching Olympic gold.
And, after winning his maiden grand slam at the Australian Open in January, Jannik Sinner is the current world number one and is among the favorites.
However, when asked by Tennis Channel who her pick for the men’s singles was, Emma Raducanu gave a different verdict.
“The way that the last year has gone, I would have to say Carlos Alcaraz,” Raducanu said. “He’s playing really good tennis.”
Carlos Alcaraz needs to hit the reset button
Alcaraz felt he had to make a public apology after suffering a shock loss at the Cincinnati Open, during which he obliterated a racket in anger.
This defeat by veteran Gael Monfils, coming weeks after his gut-wrenching loss in the Olympic final, was the first time the Spaniard has lost successive matches since May.
If the 21-year-old is going to emulate the form that propelled him to the US Open title in 2022, he will have to hit the reset button.
Alcaraz gets his campaign at Flushing Meadows underway on Tuesday against Australian qualifier Li Tu.
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