13.09.2025 15:19
US Open’s Lone Champions: Triumph Turned Turmoil
Mumbai: For Emma Raducanu, the US Open represents a place of both triumph and struggle. Despite the unforgettable moments she experienced as a teenager when she won the championship in 2021, it took her four years to fully embrace the venue as her “happy place” once again.
“I had difficulties when I returned in 2022; returning here wasn’t enjoyable,” the Briton shared in New York before the 2025 tournament. “Now, for the first time, I feel I can come back to the US Open and truly cherish the memories created here.”
Several players can empathize with Raducanu’s experience, drawing parallels between their successes at the US Open and their subsequent challenges.
Over the past decade, the season’s final Major has crowned six one-time Grand Slam winners, both men and women. While one-time victories are not exclusive to the US Open, the tournament frequently witnesses sharp rises and falls of champions.
From Raducanu (2021) to Daniil Medvedev (2021), Dominic Thiem (2020), Bianca Andreescu (2019), Sloane Stephens (2017), and Flavia Pennetta (2015), numerous players have experienced a single Slam victory, with only the 2021 winners participating in the 2025 draw. Pennetta retired after her win, and Thiem stepped back following struggles with injuries and form, while Stephens has transitioned to broadcasting at the US Open this year.
With the exception of Pennetta, who surprised many by retiring immediately after her solo Grand Slam success, each of these one-time champions faced turbulent periods post-victory.
Thiem was unable to progress beyond the fourth round of any Slam following his win, as he battled significant injuries. Medvedev, while remaining a high-caliber player, is enduring his worst season without securing two Slam matches in a row.
Unlike her male counterpart, Raducanu faced a dramatic downturn. After her 2021 victory as a teenage qualifier, she returned as the world No.36 in 2025 but did not win a single US Open match during the interim. Following two first-round eliminations and an injury-related absence in 2023, her ranking plummeted from the top 10 in 2022 to beyond the top 250 in 2023.
Plagued by frequent injuries, Raducanu experienced instability by changing coaches rapidly. Currently, under the guidance of Francisco Roig, part of Rafael Nadal’s longstanding team, she seems to have finally found some stability, evidenced by reaching the Citi Open semi-finals and competing against world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati.
Her journey from 2021 to 2025 has been a rollercoaster, hindered by the challenges accompanying sudden fame.
“When I won in 2021, I wasn’t aware of the potential negativity and criticism,” she reflected recently. “These affected me a lot over the years. Although it’s still tough at times, I can now enjoy my daily experiences far more.”
Stephens has shifted her daily routine from preparing for matches to tackling questions. After her memorable reaction to winning the 2017 US Open and the subsequent French Open final in 2018, she faced a drastic fall in performance, with her ranking dropping significantly. In 2023, Stephens encountered a period of stagnation and has not played since February, focusing instead on life beyond the court.
Unfortunately, Andreescu is absent from the current tournament. In a recent match in Montreal, she suffered an injury setback, compounding the challenges she has faced since her 2019 title win. Over the subsequent six years, she only reached a Grand Slam fourth round once, with recurring injuries and illnesses weighing heavily on her mind and body.
“It’s just crazy to me,” Andreescu commented in Montreal. “Staying positive is tough, it’s getting really challenging.”