Emma Raducanu had a very emotional reaction after winning her opening match at the 2025 Eastbourne Open. However, the Brit chose to keep the reasons behind her distress a secret.
After a back injury forced her to withdraw from the Berlin Tennis Open, Raducanu made her return to the court at the WTA 250 event in Eastbourne. The 22-year-old kicked off her campaign against Ann Li, making a difficult start to the match by losing the opening set in the tiebreak. However, the Brit managed to turn things around by making a comeback to claim a 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1 victory.
Emma Raducanu was visibly emotional after her win, as she broke down in tears while celebrating on the court. The crowd was quick to provide the home favorite with some motivation by giving her a standing ovation as she attempted to get her emotions under control.
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Raducanu spoke about her reaction during her post-match press conference and disclosed that she had received some "bad news," the details of which she wanted to keep under wraps.
"I received some pretty bad news, so I would like to keep it personal, if that's OK? But it was difficult, very emotional at the end and probably just a release of different emotions," Raducanu said.
Despite her tearful response, the Brit was quick to compose herself and focus on how incredibly proud she felt after securing the win. She also thanked the crowd for helping her get over the line in her on-court interview.
"I feel incredible. I just want to thank the crowd for getting me through some really sticky moments. It really meant a lot to me and I'm really proud of how I fought back after losing the first set," she said.
Emma Raducanu also said she was looking forward to returning to the court for her second-round match at the Eastbourne Open and later heading to Wimbledon for her campaign.
Emma Raducanu to lock horns with Maya Joint in Eastbourne Open 2R
Following her win over Ann Li, Emma Raducanu is set to lock horns with Maya Joint in the second round of the Eastbourne Open. Joint claimed a 7-5, 6-2 win over Ons Jabeur to set up a meeting with the Brit.
The duo's clash at the WTA 250 event will be their second tour-level encounter. Raducanu defeated the Australian 7-5, 6-7(1), 6-3 in their only previous meeting at the 2025 Italian Open.
If Emma Raducanu triumphs over Maya Joint, she will face the winner of the match between Anna Blinkova and Lulu Sun in the quarterfinals, followed by a potential semifinal clash against Peyton Stearns. The Brit could then meet Barbora Krejcikova or Jelena Ostapenko in the final.
