By the end of another breathless opening set against the best player in the world, Emma Raducanu was a picture of frustration and despair. Instead of allowing her emotions to consume her, though, they inspired one of the most impressive performances of her career as she pushed Aryna Sabalenka, the best player in the world, to the edge of her limits in an epic three hour and nine minute scuffle before narrowly falling 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in the third round of the Cincinnati Open.
Recently, Raducanu has performed well against lower-ranked opponents but the gulf between her and the top players had been undeniable. Here, the 22-year-old proved to herself that she has enough quality to beat the best in the world.
