EMMA RADUCANU broke down in tears after crashing out of the US Open first round.
The Brit was beaten 6-1 3-6 6-4 by 2020 Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin.
Raducanu wiped away tears in her post-match press conference and revealed she felt “sad” and “down”.
The defeat means Raducanu has not won a match at the US Open since winning the competition in 2021.
She lost at the first attempt of her title defence the following year and was absent through injury last year.
Raducanu, 21, has been plagued by injuries since her triumph at Flushing Meadows and had to withdraw from the Mixed Doubles at Wimbledon where she partnered Andy Murray.
The world number 72 drew criticism after opting not to play in US Open qualifiers in Canada and Cincinnati, with Raducanu admitting she needed to play more matches.
She said: “I would have preferred to probably play a little bit more before coming into the US Open.
“I know when I have a lot of matches, just like every player, you feel really good, you feel like everything’s automatic.
“So yeah, I think I can learn from it and manage my schedule slightly differently.”
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Raducanu played just one tournament since Wimbledon at the Mubadala Citi DC Open where she reached the quarter-final.
Her form has been patchy throughout the year with Raducanu picking up 18 wins and suffering 11 losses, and she has failed to reach a final of a tournament since her US Open win over Leylah Fernandez.
