What became of the ten women Raducanu beat to win US Open?

Qualifying first roundBibiane Schoofs (world No 285, Netherlands) Result: 6-1, 6-2
With a career-high of world No 142 in June 2012, Schoofs was sliding down the rankings by the time she played Emma Raducanu in August 2021. It was to be the last singles match she ever played at a grand-slam event as she soon made doubles her priority for the veteran phase of her career.
The 36-year-old is presently ranked No 82 after winning a third doubles title on home soil in June at the Rosmalen Open.
Qualifying second roundMariam Bolkvadze (world No 167, Georgia) 6-3, 7-5
Of the ten matches that Raducanu played during her remarkable run to the US Open title in 2021, this is the closest that she came to losing a set. Bolkvadze is still stuck on the lower tiers of the professional circuit at the age of 26, playing in locations such as Sunderland and Ilkley rather than Wimbledon, but at least she will forever have the claim to fame that she was the only player to win five games in a set against Raducanu at that year’s grand-slam event.
Qualifying third roundMayar Sherif (world No 96, Egypt) 6-1, 6-4
Sherif shot up the rankings after her straight-sets loss to Raducanu in the final round of qualifying, eventually reaching a career-high of world No 31 in June 2023. She became the first woman from Egypt to win a WTA tour title at the Emilia-Romagna Open in Parma in October 2022, but has struggled to make a breakthrough on the biggest stages in tennis having not gone past the second round of a grand-slam event. The 28-year-old has dropped to No 90 as a result.
First roundStefanie Vögele (world No 128, Switzerland) 6-2, 6-3
After losing in the final round of qualifying, Vögele was fortunate to be in the main draw of the US Open as a lucky loser after the withdrawal of America’s Jennifer Brady, who was then ranked No 14.
It was to be her second-last appearance at a grand-slam event as the former world No 42 retired the following year in November 2022 at the age of 32 — two months after her more illustrious compatriot, Roger Federer, had also retired. Four months after hanging up her racket, Vögele gave birth to her first child, Nala.
Second roundShuai Zhang (world No 49, China) 6-2, 6-4
It would be an exaggeration to say that Shuai’s career went into decline after a defeat by Raducanu as she enjoyed a solid year in 2022, winning her first title since 2017 at the Lyon Open and reaching the last 16 of the US Open. But she has since embarked on an astonishing downfall since January 2023, with the longest-ever losing streak by any singles player of 22 consecutive defeats, beating Vince Spadea’s previous record of 21 from 1999 to 2000. A shoulder injury has proven difficult for the 35-year-old to shake off, but she will still take her place at the US Open to try and end her long run of misery against the world No 61 Ashlyn Krueger.
Third roundSara Sorribes Tormo (world No 41, Spain) 6-0, 6-1
Sorribes Tormo quickly brushed off a thrashing by Raducanu in New York, going on to reach a career high of world No 32 in February 2022. This progress stalled a few months later when she cracked a rib, before then fracturing a bone in her foot. After using a walking boot for several months, she returned in April 2023 and has worked her way back into the top 100 at a present ranking of No 73. The 27-year-old did face criticism at last year’s French Open, though, for being a bit too eager in calling for the disqualification of her doubles opponent, Miyu Kato, for accidentally hitting a ballgirl.
Fourth roundShelby Rogers (world No 43, USA) 6-2, 6-1
Rogers played a key role in Raducanu’s run, claiming the best win of her life in the previous round to knock out the world No 1 Ashleigh Barty — it was at this point that the British journalists in New York began to ponder whether the stars really were aligning for Raducanu. Three years later, Rogers is about to play her last tournament at the age of 31 after announcing her retirement on Friday. After reaching the top 30 in August 2022, Rogers has struggled with injury and required surgery on her knee. Playing a full schedule this year proved difficult. “I always said that if my heart loves it and my body is healthy, I would play this sport forever,” Rogers wrote on social media this week. “But now my body is telling me it’s time.”
Quarter-finalBelinda Bencic (world No 12, Switzerland) 6-3, 6-4
Just weeks after winning Olympic gold in Tokyo, Bencic became the highest-ranked player that Raducanu conquered en route to the title at Flushing Meadows. It had no lasting impact on Bencic as she quickly picked herself back up to win trophies in Charleston, Adelaide and Abu Dhabi over the next two years before signing off on maternity leave in September 2023 after falling pregnant with her boyfriend and fitness coach Martin Hromkovic. The 27-year-old became a mother to Bella in April this year and is now preparing for a comeback to the tour at some point in 2025.
Semi-finalMaria Sakkari (world No 18, Greece) 6-1, 6-4
Three weeks after losing to Raducanu, Sakkari entered the world’s top ten and has remained there ever since with the exception of one week in February this year when she dropped to No 11. The 29-year-old reached a career high of No 3 in March 2022, but has little to show for her consistency in recent years, having won only one of the eight WTA Tour finals she has contested (the sole victory came at last year’s Guadalajara Open).
In February, she ended a six-year partnership with her British coach Tom Hill as she searches for the extra edge required to get across the finish line more often.
FinalLeylah Fernandez (world No 73, Canada) 6-4, 6-3
It was thought that Fernandez and Raducanu, aged 19 and 18 respectively at the time, were embarking on a new rivalry to take the women’s game forward, yet they have not played each other since. This is largely due to Raducanu’s lack of consistency as Fernandez has reasonably pushed on to a present world ranking of No 24 at the age of 21. She claimed tour titles at the 2022 Monterrey Open and 2023 Hong Kong Open, and helped Canada win the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time last year. It is surely only a matter of time before Fernandez and Raducanu meet again.