ROLAND GARROS

May 26, 2025

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

E. RADUCANU/Wang Xinyu

7-5, 4-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on your first-round win. Just talk us through how you got through that and thoughts on the match in general.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I'm very pleased to have got through that. Not an easy match. Very difficult, the opponent. Hits a big ball, can take the game out of a lot of people's racquets and hands.

Yeah, I'm just happy with my fight more than anything today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you just talk us through what kind of physical or health issues you were suffering with and what the doctor said when they came on and what they gave you and how that helped?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think I'm actually really proud of today's match, more so than I think a lot of the matches that I played recently or in general, because I woke up and I felt really sick, to be honest. I felt bad from the morning.

I was just trying and fighting through that. It was really difficult. You know, in the first set, like, I just felt it straightaway and it didn't really go away throughout the whole match.

To have kind of come through that and overcome how I was feeling, I'm really happy with, and I didn't let it kind of, you know, it would have been easy to kind of let it drag me down.

Q. Did you consider pulling out? If not, what got you through those matches? Because you lost the second set and then obviously rallied. What did you draw on?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think, I mean, I don't, like, I don't think of pulling out. I think of when it comes to retiring in a match, I really think I have done a good job of just like pushing through everything. I'd rather not step on the court in the first place unless it's something really serious.

I think after the second set I went to the bathroom and just really regrouped. I was just thinking to try to get off to a good start more than anything in the third because I knew that would help me keep my spirits up, keep the fight, keep as much energy as I had.

I'm really happy that I was able to do that and give myself a small cushion at the back end.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your forehand. I thought it was great today. Back in Rome, you talked about how you're searching for forehands and like mentally almost helps feels more dominant. Curious about that mentality. When players are searching for forehands is normally because backhands aren't as good. Just curious about that.

EMMA RADUCANU: Thank you. It's almost as good as your forehand (smiling).

No, I think it's just a good development of my game that has kind of come in more recent times. I enjoy looking for it. I enjoy kind of seeing how far at the center I can run around and how many backhands I can take as forehands. I think just in terms of angle, I have a lot more options when I look for a forehand on that middle ball. Yeah, I'm happy with the way it's come across. It is developing into a weapon.

I'm really pleased of that, the work I have done on it, the work that has kind of been started more so since Miami and I'm really committing to the shots.

Yeah, growing up, my backhand was always my stronger shot. I guess, like, the main goal and main objective is to have the best of both worlds.

Q. Another update on your medical. Did you take much medicine? How are you feeling now? Did it take your mind off your back?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, not really. I don't know why I just have struggled today. The last few days, just not really been feeling great.

Yeah, I guess I'm managing a few things. But despite all of that, being able to come through against a really tough opponent today, I'm really proud of.

I'm glad I can have some rest and hopefully rest up before playing Wednesday.

Q. How do you feel now?

EMMA RADUCANU: I mean, I feel better. I had, like, a good amount of food. I think it was also maybe just, you know, like an earlier wakeup than usual for me. Maybe my body was just lagging a little bit. After a good feed and some rest, I think I'll probably be okay.

Q. I think it's the first win by a Brit here for two years. Do you feel like you're getting the whole group off to a good start with that?

EMMA RADUCANU: I hope so. Was I the first Brit to play in the tournament? Yeah, okay, yeah. I'm glad to kind of get us off to a strong start. Saw Jacob was a set up. He's been doing really well. Rooting for everybody. Katie is about to play.

I think all of us have been doing really well on the clay this year, kind of coming through. I think we all have, you know, a good chance, a good opportunity to do as best as we can.

Yeah, I think it's great for British tennis. I think it's great for all of us to have competition and healthy competition to want to kind of improve and, yeah, do better.

Q. You have got Iga up next. What do you think of when you think of playing Iga at Roland Garros?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think it's a match for me where I can really test and challenge myself. I think exposure to the top players is great for where I'm at for my development.

I think especially on clay, you know, it's her preferred tournament probably, surface. She's won it, like, four times. It's a match where I can go out and test really just myself and go for my shots, because I know if I just push the ball, I'm probably going to get eaten. I need to, like, hit the ball.

I'm looking forward to that challenge.

Q. You have obviously played a couple of times indoor clay and played her in Melbourne. Wonder what the differences are and what you have learned from those experiences that you can take into Wednesday.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I feel like Iga's always played really well when we have played, especially in Australia this year. I'm looking forward to kind of going out and playing her again. I think in the last month, I have made good strides with my game and my mentality, as well, big time.

I think this time, yeah, it's great. I get another crack at the best in the world. And I'm looking forward to playing on a big court probably as well.

Q. You mentioned obviously presumably you'll most likely be Chatrier. Today a smaller court. How do you find that? Adapting, do you find that difficult or kind of used to jumping from those sort of venues?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I honestly think it's really difficult, because the tournament don't really help in terms of getting you court time on the bigger courts or on like the match courts, really.

I feel like, I don't know, certain players get preferred treatment. It's very different from at the annex, for example, across the road or other courts to then kind of jump onto Chatrier or jump on to a stadium. It isn't easy. I wish they would give us more opportunities on stadium or bigger courts, especially if we're going to play on them.

But I think, you know, that court today, it was cute, intimate. I like you can really feel the fans and their support, because sometimes on a bigger court, if it is not full, it feels a little bit empty. There you're right in the thick of it.

There is a lot going on. There are other courts around. There's a lot of noise. There's music. But it was good I think for me to stay focused and really centered on the match in front of me. But yeah, it does take a little bit of just adjustment.

Q. Regarding Iga, you will play her second round. Iga is the queen of Paris. But this year everybody knows it's not going so smoothly. Do you feel this is a chance for you to take advantage of it?

EMMA RADUCANU: Well, I think that, I mean, every week is fresh. You know, she came through pretty comfortably today, I think feeling good.

I think for the slams it's also completely different for those top players. They really kind of turn it on in the weeks that really matter.

So she's a great opponent. I'm not expecting any wavering of level. You know, given the last times we have played, she's been on every single time.

I think, yeah, it's going to be a really, really difficult match.

Q. You talked at the start of the year about there being an objective of yours to play more tournaments, which you have obviously done. Do you think you feel some of the benefit of that when you get into some of these tight situations like maybe against Maya in Rome and then here?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, and I think coming through those situations really helps future experiences. Today I was able to draw on that experience in Rome, playing Maya, and then also playing Veronika.

I guess I have had a lot more three-set matches this year and come out successful more than in the past, which gives me more confidence.

I think playing more matches has benefited me in a lot of ways in the sense that I'm not out of competition for too long, but at the same time, when I play matches or when a lot of people play matches, I'm really on and really intense, so it does take a lot out of me.

I think finding the perfect balance between being hungry and being ready to play the tournament and then also being fit enough, and then at the same time being match-fit and point-ready, it's a difficult kind of perfect equilibrium to try and find.