Raducanu's US Open title defence ends in first round

Defending champion Emma Raducanu, who had scripted a historic journey in 2021, becoming the first qualifier to lift a title at the Flushing Meadows, has been knocked out by 32-year-old veteran star Alize Cornet in the opening round of the US Open women's singles tie on Wednesday.

Raducanu lost 3-6, 3-6 as she became the third woman after 2004 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 2016 champion Angelique Kerber to lose her opening match in New York a year after winning the title.

It was a tough early exit for a 19-year-old from Great Britain, but Raducanu had a task cut against a player who defeated three current or former world No 1s this year and has been having an impressive season in terms of Grand Slams. Cornet, who made her record 63rd consecutive women's singles Slam main draw appearance at the Flushing Meadows this year, defeated Simona Halep en route to making her maiden quarterfinal appearance at a Slam. At Roland Garros, she took down former champion Jelena Ostapenko before putting an end to Iga Swiatek's rampaging and record 37-match winning streak at Wimbledon.

However, Raducanu, who had a fairytale run in New York last year, had a match far from perfect as she committed as many as 31 unforced errors to just 15 winners.

But the loss, said Raducanu, has also brought freedom and a clean slate that will allow her to reconstruct her game and career without unrealistic expectations.

"Obviously really disappointing, really sad to leave here," Raducanu told a post-match press conference, her face partially hidden by a baseball cap pulled tight to her eyes. "But also, in a way happy because it's a clean slate.

"I'm going to drop down the rankings. Climb my way back up."

Cornet put pressure on Raducanu's serve breaking three of her first four service games to nudge ahead in the tie before taking the opening set. Although the service woes troubled them both during the match as they combined to register 11 breaks of serve. Raducanu had threatened to make a comeback as she roared to a 3-1 lead in the second set, but the veteran rallied from behind to win the final five games and closed the match after Raducanu's volley sailed wide.

"Emma is a great person and a great player so I'm sorry I beat her," Cornet said. "I was tired at the start of the second set because there were long rallies."