EMMA PRICE OF SUCCESS

The top players always save their best for me claims Raducanu as she exits

- From Neil McLeman in New York

EMMA RADUCANU claimed she is targeted by the top stars after suffering another humbling Grand Slam defeat yesterday at the US Open.

The British No.1 set new records for her quickest Major wins in her opening two rounds, both against qualifiers.

But against the No.9 seed Elena Rybakina, 2021 champion Raducanu was thrashed 6-1 6-2 in only 62 minutes for her fastest Grand Slam defeat.

Raducanu is still yet to beat a top-10 player in a Major. And the gulf in class between her and the elite had already been shown with her Grand Slam defeats this year by Iga Swiatek (6-1 6-0 in Melbourne and 6-1 6-2 in Paris) and Aryna Sabalenka (7-6 6-4) at Wimbledon.

Asked if she felt she had a target on her back because of her early success and popularity, the world No.36 said: “Yeah, big time.