From Mike Dickson
EMMA RADUCANU came up against a supposed human brick wall at the US Open last night — and promptly smashed her way through to the fourth round in the most extraordinary fashion.
With astonishing ease, she totally dismantled the game of world No41 Sara Sorribes Tormo, blasting her off court 6-0, 6-1. The Spaniard was fortunate to get one game — it was that good.
Remarkably, the 18-year-old from Kent has emulated her performance of Wimbledon by doing exactly the same at Flushing Meadows.
She has done so without having lost a set, going all the way back to the start of qualifying last week.
There was the prospect of the ultimate test coming up against Wimbledon champion Ash Barty, who was last night facing American Shelby Rogers to earn the dubious pleasure of meeting world No150 Raducanu. Either way an upgrade from the outside courts must be on the cards.
One by-product of a performance that sometimes had you rubbing your eyes in disbelief is that she is now almost certain to make the world’s top 100.
That is fairly academic, given that her upwards trajectory is spiralling at such a rate.
Even Raducanu could hardly believe how easy she had made what was expected to be an attritional baseline battle.
‘I was playing very well,’ she said. ‘I know Sara is an extremely tough opponent who doesn’t make it easy so you have to be on your game every single point.
‘You have to work really hard. I am just really happy I was able to maintain my level and really stay on it at the end.
‘For this one I knew the plan was that I had to hit through her. I just took the game to her and hit more winners than errors today.
‘I have got a great team around me. We are sticking to the same routines. I’m into the second week. I never thought I would be here.
‘The crowd was so amazing, they helped me through so many moments.’
It was not that she needed much assistance in this match, such was the potency of her serving and groundstrokes.
You have to be prepared to suffer to beat someone like Sorribes Tormo, to have the discipline to