Elena Rybakina has revealed why Emma Raducanu is playing so well at this year’s US Open ahead of their third-round clash on Friday.
The British No. 1 was knocked out of the Cincinnati Masters by her Kazakhstani rival in the Round of 32 earlier this month.
However, Rybakina insists Raducanu is playing well after learning how to take some of the pressure off herself and feel free on the tennis court.
“Of course, it’s not easy, there is a lot of expectation from outside, from herself, probably.
“But I’m sure that with time passing, you learn.
WATCH: Townsend and Ostapenko get into furious back and forth after American’s victory
Video credit: SNTV
“I think that she enjoys now, and you can see she’s happy, she’s playing well. So I think now she’s more free.
“I would say a lot of people expect, of course, but the most important is that you know what you’re doing, you know how you practice. And I think it all depends on your state of mind.”
Rybakina cruised through the first set against Valentova, but she was forced to battle back from 5-2 down before coming out on top in a lengthy tie-break to secure the second.
The 26-year-old believes Raducanu will be a tough opponent in the third round, and that she will need to improve if she wants to progress.
“We played once a long time ago, and I think now she’s playing really well, and she’s a tough opponent.
“She knows this place better than anyone else and I’m looking forward for this match.
“I know that I need to improve a little bit from today and try to do my best, and hopefully I’ll win that match.”
Rybakina has endured a tough 2025 that has seen her fail to make it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam.
She was eliminated in the fourth round of the 2025 French Open and the 2025 Australian Open before being knocked out of Wimbledon in the third.
Her last Grand Slam final was in 2023, when she let a one-set lead slip against Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne.
“Rarely [we speak], but yeah, I think she’s a nice girl,” she responded. “And of course, we are all busy with our schedule and our teams, so, of course, we don’t spend much time together.
“But she’s really nice girl outside of the court.”
Watch and stream top tennis action live and on demand on TNT Sports and discovery+