Emma Raducanu has striking difference at US Open and makes big declaration

Emma Raducanu has claimed she is back in her "happy place" at the US Open and playing her best tennis since her 2021 triumph here. The British No.1 has not won a match in New York since her historic win - and she left in tears last year as she admitted: "I feel down, I feel sad".

But fast forward 12 months, she bounced into her pre-tournament press conference with a beaming smile on her face and declared: "I feel good. I feel relaxed, I feel happy." The contrast is as striking as her improved serve.

Raducanu's instant fame has been followed by stalkers, injury issues and a continued churn in her coaches. She admitted she "struggled" on her return as defending champion in 2022.

And she arrived at Flushing Meadows last year seriously undercooked after skipping the Olympics and playing only one warm-up event. This time, after a solid grasscourt season, she has played three tournaments with new Spanish coach Francis Roig before the final Grand Slam of the season.

Raducanu has had reboots before. But the world No.35 claimed: "It does feel different this year. I feel like I'm just doing the best I can and I know that I'm doing the right things and I can put a lot of trust in Francis. I think that's why I probably feel a lot more relaxed and I can see myself improve. I just enjoy the work I'm doing really and I enjoy being around him and I enjoy what we're doing each day and to see a few results as well in the matches, it helps too."

Raducanu had a secret three-day trial with Rafa Nadal's former coach - it was a "black ops mission trying to do it undercover" - and claimed she immediately felt the benefit. She took a set off Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati before the world No.1 won the two tiebreaks.

"Is it the best I have played since 2021? Yeah I think I'm playing well, I think pushing Aryna to the top is a great motivation, a great inspiration for me to keep doing it. I know that I'm still relatively young and new in terms of doing the right things over and over so I want to give myself a lot more time to achieve what I want to. But for now I'm just happy that I'm building towards something."

That was not the case here three years ago as the tennis world shared the psycho-drama of a teenager growing up in a very public spotlight

"I really struggled when I came back in 2022," she admitted. "I didn't enjoy coming back here. I think now is the first time that I feel like I can come back to the US Open and really enjoy the memories that I made here and be proud of that and see it as a happy place.

"I am just more aware now of everything that is possible. When I won in '21, I didn't know about this world of potential negativity and bringing people down, bringing players down.

"I'd say that kind of affected me a lot in the last few years. It still definitely gets me from time to time, but overall I think I can enjoy what I'm doing day to day a lot more, I have good people around, so I'm just happy that I'm in this place with my tennis."

Raducanu plays her opening match on Sunday against Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara, who has never beaten a top 50 player. No.24 seed Veronika Kudermetova is her probable second round opponent.