David Kane: The 2021 US Open final promised to be a look at an exciting future: an intriguing contrast between Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez. Polish vs. scrappy, introvert vs. extrovert, the first all-teen US Open final since Serena Williams and Martina Hingis in 1999—it looked to have something for everyone. The year since proved to be a brutal sophomore slump for Fernandez and Raducanu, who ended 2022 ranked No. 40 and No. 75, respectively.
Both women endured injury lay-offs, but more worryingly, neither looked up to the task of playing elite tennis on a week-in, week-out basis. Should things persist for another 12 months, what looked like foreshadowing may end up being a strange aberration on the WTA tapestry.