Emma Raducanu became emotional, shedding tears after securing a hard-fought comeback win at the Eastbourne Open.
The British player defeated Ann Li in a challenging first-round match, winning 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Raducanu clinched the victory on her fourth match point with a superb backhand winner, letting her racquet fall in a moment of relief.
She then visibly cried as she looked happily towards her coach, Mark Petchey, before approaching the net to shake her opponent`s hand.
In her emotional on-court interview, Raducanu stated:
“It was unbelievable. I really want to thank the crowd for helping me through some really difficult moments.”
“It meant so much to me, and I`m extremely proud of my fightback after dropping the opening set.”
“Ann was hitting winners from everywhere, and it was clearly very windy out there.”
“I`m incredibly happy to have overcome that challenge today.”
“It was tough, very inconsistent, but from the midpoint of the second set onwards, I managed to find another gear.”
Raducanu, aged 22, who is now working with her eighth coach, stated that her collaboration with Petchey is progressing “very well.”
Her next opponent in Eastbourne will be Maya Joint.
Despite recent issues with her back, Raducanu confirmed her fitness and expressed her anticipation for Wimbledon, which starts next week.
Off the court, her connection with World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz has attracted attention.
She was seen watching from the stands as the Spanish player won the Queen`s title on Sunday.
According to an exclusive source speaking to SunSport, they have spent time together outside of the tournament, noting:
“Emma and Carlos` friendship was a major talking point at Queen`s – people sense there`s something developing between them due to their strong chemistry.”
The source added, “He was reportedly seen at her hotel last week, and on both Thursday and Saturday, when Emma came to cheer him on, her car arrived just minutes after Carlos and his team reached Queen`s.”
“Inside the venue, they were observed laughing and joking together.”
“They appear very comfortable and happy in each other`s company.”
Discussing their relationship, Raducanu mentioned they have been friends since 2021 and share a “good connection.”
She further explained:
“I believe for all of us, we truly value the relationships we built when we were younger. As you gain recognition or success, you naturally gravitate back to those early acquaintances because you realize those are truly genuine connections.”
“Life gets very busy, and you meet many new people, but the friends you`ve known for a long time hold significantly more meaning.”
