The Unbelievable Journey: How Teen Qualifier Emma Raducanu Stormed the U.S. Open — Without Losing a Set!

A teenager, ranked outside the top 100, enters the U.S. Open through qualifying. She plays three matches before the official main draw even begins. Then she advances through each round of the grand slam with absolute precision — never conceding a set. That was Emma Raducanu’s story in 2021.
From the moment she walked onto the court in the qualifying rounds, Raducanu carried a quiet hunger. She didn’t just scrape through — she dominated. And once in the main draw of the U.S. Open, she turned up the intensity. Match after match, she stayed untroubled, composed, unyielding. Her shot-making was fearless, her nerves calm, her execution perfect. By the time she lifted the trophy, she had won ten straight matches, from the qualifying rounds through to the championship, without dropping a set.
In an era where top­seeds and favorites dominate, her run was a seismic shift. She became the first qualifier in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam. She became Britain’s first female major singles champion in decades. And perhaps most mind-blowingly: she did it all without ever letting an opponent win a set. That kind of purity in victory is rare.
Beyond the stats, the emotional aspect is huge. Here is a young woman defying expectation, defying ranking and experience. She carried the hopes of a nation, yet looked utterly free in her game. Her story became one of belief, momentum, and the extraordinary happening when preparation meets opportunity.
Every win added to the legend: the qualifier who grew into a champion. The teenager who faced the pressure of New York, night after night, and responded with serenity. The newcomer who challenged established names, and didn’t just survive — she overpowered.
And the legacy? It’s more than a trophy. It’s a message: that on any given day, someone with heart, courage and focus can rewrite the record-books. Raducanu’s straight-set run at the U.S. Open may never be forgotten — ten wins, ten straight sets, and one historic triumph.