(August 24, 2025) FLUSHING, NY – Emma Raducanu, US Open champion from 2021, won her first match in New York since winning the title by beating qualifier Ena Shibahara in Louis Armstrong Stadium 6-1, 6-2 in 62 minutes.
Raducanu won the 2021 US Open as a qualifier.
“Of course, I’m very, very pleased to have won that match. It’s my first win here since 2021, so it’s extra special,” Raducanu said on court after the match. “First rounds are always difficult, especially at a Slam, there are nerves. Playing Ena, she’s really tricky, she hit so many balls on the baseline I wasn’t expecting to dip. She obviously came through qualifying, you then feel like you have a little bit of an advantage playing already.
“I’m just very pleased, how I managed myself and managed my game through that match.”
“Of course, I’m very, very pleased to have won that match. It’s my first win here since 2021, so it’s extra special,” Raducanu told the crowd in Armstrong with a beaming smile. “First rounds are always difficult, especially at a Slam, there are nerves. Playing Ena, she’s really tricky, she hit so many balls on the baseline I wasn’t expecting to dip. She obviously came through qualifying, you then feel like you have a little bit of an advantage playing already.”
She admitted to media that she was a little nervous before the match. “I was nervous this morning after practice. There’s not much time playing first on. You’re kind of rushing to do things. I was nervous in practice.
“Afterwards, after I came out of the shower, I felt like I kind of just got into the zone, got my match kit on, and that, for me, is a shift of, okay, you’re going to get ready, lock in now.
“Then I relaxed. Going onto Armstrong, I think getting that first game was really important. I think I started off really well, and that helped relax me a lot. Especially serving first game, that was a confidence start, and then I felt like I could keep going.”
“I’m just very pleased, how I managed myself and managed my game through that match.” The 22-year-old has a new coach Francisco Roig who helped Rafael Nadal to his 22 major titles.
“I think the biggest milestones are I put a lot of trust in what I’m doing with Francisco on the practice court,” She said to media. “I think we’re just working really well, doing the right stuff on the practice court, and I just feel like I’m improving.
“To take confidence from what I’m doing behind the scenes and not just I have confidence because I have won these matches on the tour. You know, I’m doing a lot day to day. It’s going well, and I’m enjoying it.
“You know, I’m enjoying getting better, and the process of feeling like at the end of the day I’m satisfied I got a little bit better, and just repeating it. I think that’s probably the biggest success and reason to why I feel the way I do right now.”
“It’s my first win here since 2021 so it feels extra special,” Raducanu said.
“I’ve got amazing people in my corner. It makes every day of work more pleasurable.”
The world No. 35 Raducanu will face either Indonesian qualifier Janie Tjen or Russian 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the second round.
More to follow….
