US Open: Opening week mayhem and why Emma Raducanu should attempt to take positives, says Laura Robson

In her newest Sky Sports activities column, Laura Robson discusses new names within the males’s draw, Iga Swiatek or Aryna Sabalenka for the ladies’s title? And why Emma Raducanu should take positives from her run to the third spherical…

Every Grand Slam has its personal persona and the US Open is hectic, in one of the simplest ways! Everybody works lengthy hours, I get to see as a lot tennis as doable and work on extra matches, but it surely does have an effect on the sleep. I feel I am averaging 5 an evening, but it surely’s so price it. And the ambiance and the power being across the grounds simply carries you thru, together with loads of coffees.

I do know if I had an early end I might get again to the resort and watch it on TV anyway, so I determine I’ll as properly simply be right here in particular person and soak it up!

However it’s good in a approach as a result of it simply permits me to catch as a lot tennis as doable. I do know after I would get again to the resort that I might put it on and watch it on TV, so I figured I would as properly simply be right here in particular person and soak it up.

Second week nerves?

I feel the primary week’s been actually enjoyable. There have been numerous new names, particularly on the boys’s facet with so many seeds going out early on. Usually the ladies’s draw is talked about as extra unpredictable but it surely appears to be the reverse this time. I feel we all the time pinpoint Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the 2 most important contenders, however outdoors of that everybody else is having some difficult moments.

Even Novak Djokovic hasn’t been completely completely satisfied along with his degree within the first few rounds.

Jan-Lennard Struff is having the match of his life, coming via qualifying and taking out Frances Tiafoe and Holger Rune! He needs to be one of many largest winners of the week.

We’ve not but seen the very best of Iga Swiatek or Aryna Sabalenka both, which makes it attention-grabbing to see how the draw unfolds. As quickly as these prime gamers get themselves into the second week, they appear to search out one other gear and play their greatest tennis when everybody else begins to really feel the nerves.

‘Raducanu will take positives from previous couple of weeks’

Raducanu was up in opposition to a really in-form Elena Rybakina. You may come away from that match feeling upbeat about what Emma can enhance on to problem the cleanest hitters. And Rybakina was seeing the ball like a basketball, hitting every part within the candy spot. For positive, a tricky opponent to come back up in opposition to however thrilling to know that she’s received the subsequent few months to get higher, to maintain working. And that is what she’s doing on the apply court docket.

Having the ability to keep wholesome and subsequently play each week makes an enormous distinction. To your self the very best likelihood of being seeded at Grand Slams, to know you will not play one other seed until the third spherical.

I feel it is solely positives to take from the previous couple of weeks for Raducanu. And waiting for a time of the season the place numerous different gamers are drained and there is numerous factors nonetheless on the road. For those who’re mentally recent and feeling like you may take it on, then it is an ideal alternative.

For Jack Draper, you by no means totally know the way a lingering damage goes to react till you are in that match scenario and also you play with the match depth {that a} best-of-five requires.

You may hit 200 serves and forehands in apply and it simply will not really feel the identical as attempting to hit a primary serve at full tempo at a tense scoreline. It is such a disgrace for him, contemplating how properly he did right here final yr as properly. These courts swimsuit his sport extremely properly however crucial factor is that it does not linger, that it does not change into extra of a difficulty. And hopefully he is caught it on the proper time.

Properly, for the boys’s, earlier than the match, I predicted Sinner to win. For the ladies’s, I went for Iga. Not likely pushing the boat out however I am sticking with them!

Laura Robson was talking to Sky Sports activities’ Raz Mirza at Flushing Meadows, New York. Watch the US Open, stay on Sky Sports activities or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities prospects entry to over 50 per cent extra stay sport this yr at no additional value. Discover out extra right here.