The US Open WTA seedings have been confirmed.
The likes of Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka headline the seeded players, while youngsters such as Leylah Fernandez and Linda Noskova round off the latter half of the group.
The seedings are an important factor in any Grand Slam, as all seeded players are guaranteed not to face another seed until at least the third round.
Aryna Sabalenka is the defending Ladies Singles champion in Flushing Meadows. She enters this year’s tournament as the number one seed.
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One British star has failed to make the cut for this year’s US Open: a player who won the Ladies Singles title four years ago.
Emma Raducanu misses the US Open seedings cutoff by one spot
Despite a run of good form, 2021 US Open Ladies Singles champion Emma Raducanu will be unseeded at the US Open.
The British number one is currently ranked 35 in the world, leaving her outside the 32 spots reserved for seeds at Grand Slams.
Raducanu, who has recently hired Rafael Nadal’s former coach, was incredibly close to making the cut. Both Qinwen Zheng and Paula Badosa are not competing, meaning all players ranked below 16 in the world have been moved up two spots in the US Open seedings.
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This means Raducanu is the highest-ranked unseeded player in the Ladies Singles draw.
The situation is unfortunate, especially when considering Raducanu’s excellent form over recent months.
The 22-year-old has registered impressive campaigns at Wimbledon and the Cincinnati Open, twice performing at a high level when competing against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
There are no seeded British players in the Ladies Singles draw
Unfortunately for British tennis fans, there are no seeded British players in the US Open Ladies Singles draw.
The country’s three great hopes – Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal – are all ranked outside the top 32 on the WTA Tour.
Raducanu is ranked 35, Boulter is ranked 48 and Kartal is ranked 51 in the world.
Kartal, who produced an impressive run to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon, has since lost in the first round of both the Cincinnati Open and Cleveland Championships.
Since a second-round appearance at Wimbledon, Boulter has lost in the first round of the Washington Open, Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open. She has won her first round match at the Cleveland Championships and is due to play Viktorija Golubic in the second round.