The Billie Jean King Tennis Centre in Flushing Meadows, New York, is as unlike Wimbledon as it comes. Sheltered British visitors are often shocked by the loud music, the smell of popcorn and the over-arching sense of chaos. So the excited screaming directed at Emma Raducanu on Thursday night felt entirely on-brand.
The noise was of the sort usually prompted by a heartthrob such as Grigor Dimitrov or Rafael Nadal. But here was an 18-year-old British starlet, playing her first US Open, and being serenaded by a gang of young women at the courtside. Unknown in her own country only a couple of months ago, Raducanu is swiftly going international.
“I’m extremely grateful for all the support I’m receiving in the States,” said Raducanu after her largely serene 6-2, 6-4 win over world No 49 Zhang Shuai on Thursday. “It has taken me by surprise but I’m so grateful for everyone who is cheering for me.”
The hysteria mentioned above came just after that match, as Raducanu remained on Court 10 for long enough to sign every giant tennis ball and pose for every selfie. The air was clear and the humidity low, after Wednesday night’s downpours, so at least she was not dripping and gasping like Stefanos Tsitsipas on the way to the bathroom. Instead, she set out to thank everyone who had supported her in person.
“I really want to connect with the fans and people watching because they are doing so much for me, getting me through really tight moments,” explained Raducanu, who had become a little nervy after reaching the apparently commanding position of 6-2, 4-0 up. “Me signing autographs and taking photos is absolutely nothing compared to what they’re doing [for me].
“Connecting with them, I have so much fun. Especially with the younger kids, they are so cute and I hope that they get a little bit inspired.”
Admittedly, expat Britons made up a decent proportion of the fans cheering for Raducanu – especially as the US Open’s schedulers have turned Court 10 into a little corner of England for the first week of this event. But her appeal has also reached beyond her compatriots, judging by the list of media requesting interviews after the Zhang win: the BBC, The New York Times, Amazon Prime and ESPN.
“Yes, the kid is a hit over here,” said American tennis commentator Mary Carillo, formerly a top-50 player in her own right. “First of all, she’s so damn cute, and so damn happy to be alive and playing tennis on this spinning planet. Maybe it’s because she’s been here a while, playing her way through the qualifying, but in this crazy cacophonous festival that disguises itself as a grand-slam tournament, she fits right in. She is not overwhelmed, at a place that can overwhelm anybody. Tough next round. I hope she gets a good court. She will be cheered on resoundingly.”
Saturday’s opponent is hardly a familiar name. Sara Sorribes Tormo – the world No 41 – is making her first appearance in the third round of a major at the relatively advanced age of 24. But she is also having a hell of a season, peaking with her recent eviction of world No 1 Ashleigh Barty from the Olympic singles event.
Sorribes Tormo’s 6-4, 6-3 win over Barty was ruthless and brilliantly conceived. She used her heavy top-spin forehand – a classic Spaniard’s weapon – to bombard the Barty backhand until it cracked. One wonders if she might try the same trick against Raducanu, only focusing on the forehand wing.
While Raducanu’s forehand has been excellent in this tournament, it has only really come together in the past few months, having been an area of stress and uncertainty throughout her junior days. Wherever the Spanish attack may be directed, Raducanu has never faced an elite opponent who applies as much top-spin as Sorribes Tormo.
Another different aspect of this contest is likely to be a more confrontational mood. Raducanu’s previous main-draw opponents – Zhang and Stefanie Vögele – both played without much external display, allowing her first pumps and yelps of triumph to shape the energy of their matches. Whereas Sorribes Tormo is a loud grunter who will happily fist pump back in her face.
The prize at stake is significant. In all probability, the winner would go through to face Barty in the fourth round – and that would likely mean an appearance on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday’s Labour Day, one of the major American holidays. Were Raducanu to receive that sort of exposure, her profile would climb still further and faster, rather as Coco Gauff’s did in Britain two years ago when she faced Simona Halep – the eventual champion – on Centre Court in the fourth round of Wimbledon.
For all the love she is receiving from the New York cognoscenti, there is a difference between an indie hit and a mainstream sensation. “After her Wimbledon results and her lead-up wins on hard courts, Emma has our attention as a commentary team,” said former Wimbledon doubles champion Pam Shriver, one of ESPN’s main voices.
“But she is not a big deal for the wider audience yet. She would need to have a big show-court win on Labour Day weekend. Then she might really get some traction.”