BRITS ABROAD – Top Trio ready for US Open

As the final Grand Slam of the year begins, Clare McEwen sums up the tennis year for Great Britain’s top three stars and speculates on their chances at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows.

Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu of course has pedigree at Flushing Meadows, home of the US Open. The then-18-year-old came from nowhere in 2021 to lift the trophy, shocking the tennis world whilst winning its heart. The four years since have been tough ones for Raducanu though, plagued with injuries, inconsistent form, and the mental pressures of going from qualifier to champion in the blink of an eye (especially when you’re British). But Raducanu has battled back to the top of the British rankings and is up to number 34 in the world.

She’s also beginning to find herself again. Her form has improved throughout the year and there are flashes of her best as we reach the final Grand Slam of the year. She reached the quarter-finals of the Miami Open and Queen’s Club, had a decent run at Wimbledon, and reached the semi-finals of the Citi Open in Washington a few weeks ago. Hard courts are her happy place and her new coach Francisco Roig may have had something to do with the extra pep in her step at Cincinnati recently. Her epic three hours and nine minutes battle with world number one, Aryna Sabalenka showed what she is capable of. Although narrowly losing to the world’s best player, Raducanu will feel she could beat anyone on her day at Flushing Meadows.

Favourite surface: Hard
Plays: Right-handed
Playing style: Aggressive, baseline player
Favourite shot: Forehand
US Open chances: Fourth round with a favourable draw

Sonay Kartal

Britain’s number two, Sonay Kartal, is having a fantastic year. She reached the fourth round of Indian Wells earlier in the year, made her Billie Jean King Cup debut (winning two matches), reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, and broke into the world’s top 50. The 23-year-old seemingly burst onto the scene at Wimbledon despite stating grass isn’t a natural surface for her. She got to live out a childhood dream by playing her fourth round match on Centre Court, with her distinctive playing style helping her build that amazing run.

Kartal is one of the shortest players on the WTA Tour but has navigated that by deliberately working on her speed. Not being able to rely on a long reach or giant stride to span the court, Kartal has developed quick feet to get her in position for her powerful shots. Her mental resilience and laid-back demeanour added to her work ethic make her a tough competitor. She’s also very likeable with the casual swagger of someone comfortable in their own skin, something to admire in one so young. Her baggy clothes, multiple tattoos, and her love of 90s music are more than enough to have me cheering her on. On her favoured hard court, Kartal will make life tricky for any opponent and she’ll be hoping to finish her breakthrough year on a high.

Favourite surface: Hard
Plays: Right-handed
Playing style: Powerful groundstrokes and quick court coverage
Favourite shot: Forehand
US Open chances: Third round with a favourable draw

Katie Boulter

It’s been a tricky year for Katie Boulter after a fantastic 2024. Britain’s third seed has battled injury and struggled for momentum so far this year, but there have also been bright spots. The brightest was Boulter winning her first clay court title, the Trophee Clarins in France in May. Having only won her first WTA clay court match the previous month, she strung together a great tournament to win the prize. She followed it up with a win in the first round of the French Open. A disappointing second round loss at Queen’s (which meant Raducanu overtook her to become British number 1) was followed up by a quarter-final appearance on the grass at Nottingham. In the opening round of Wimbledon she saw off the ninth seed but didn’t make it through the second round.

A crucial part of Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team, Boulter and her team mates reached the finals stage of the national team event (played in the second-half of September). It was Katie Boulter and doubles partner Jodie Burrage who, in April, got them to those finals. Boulter later described the match as, “possibly up there with one of the best wins in my career”. So despite an up and down year, she is capable of pulling out a performance. Having got back inside the top 50 in the world (currently 47), Katie Boulter will be hoping for a favourable draw at Flushing Meadows to end the year with a strong showing. 

Favourite surface: Grass
Plays: Right-handed
Playing style: Big weapons
Favourite shot: Unknown
US Open chances: Second round