THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 2, 2025

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

E. RADUCANU/M. Vondrousova

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Emma, another great win. How are you feeling?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I feel amazing. I think that was just a really great match. Playing Marketa, I knew it was going to be very challenging. She's won Wimbledon. She's in amazing form right now having won Berlin. I'm just very proud of how I went out there and competed and kept committing and came through that one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When was the last time you think you played as well as that?

EMMA RADUCANU: I mean, I think that was one of the best matches I've played in a long time, which I'm very proud of.

At the same time, I didn't feel like I was doing anything outrageous, which gives me a lot of confidence. I think I was just doing the basics very, very well.

But yeah, I think I executed really well today. I'm just so happy to have that level.

Q. I think you won lots of points in defense. Do you think going forward that is how you're going to cement yourself further up the rankings, a counter-puncher?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think so. I think that's something that I've developed in the last few months. I think my ability to kind of use the slice and stay in points for longer.

But I think what's going to be the real difference for me to kind of get up to the top is going to be more the aggressive side. I think more taking risks and my shots on, but calculated risks, and improving, like, the starting the point as well. Against the top girls, you really need to have a weapon on serve and also from the back.

I think I'm just working on kind of trying to be more aggressive.

Q. You said something the other day, a lot's happened in four years, I think was the words you used. When you're in the middle of a tournament like this, does your mind ever go to that idea? Do you reflect on it at all, or are you sort of in a zone of one match after the next, match day, practice day?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, you definitely get into a routine when you're in these tournaments, and you don't want it to end. I think there's no better feeling than winning here at Wimbledon, winning on Centre Court. It honestly makes everything worth it.

You forget about everything, all the ups and downs, and many downs when you're out there and you win. It's so fleeting. I lasts a few minutes after the match and now. Quickly you need to kind of get back in gear for the next day and the next round.

For the rest of the evening I'm going to enjoy that one because I think it was really special.

Q. Obviously Aryna next. Coming up against the world No. 1 in the third round, does that feel unlucky in a way, or do you kind of relish the opportunity?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think having won today against Marketa, she's also a really top opponent, so that gives me confidence too for my level. Of course, Aryna is No. 1 in the world, been so dominant in the women's game as of the last few years.

I know it's going to be a massive challenge. I'm going to have to play some really good tennis. For the rest of the evening I just want to savor that one and enjoy it.

As to it being unlucky, you want to play the best. You are going to have to play them at some point if you want to win one of these tournaments. Even though it's early in the tournament, I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

Q. You lost to Marketa in Abu Dhabi in that period when you didn't have a coach. You seemed to know what you were going to do very clearly today. Was that a big difference to having the coach this time?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I definitely think so. I think I had a lot more clarity with what I was trying to do today. I think also I'm more confident in my own game.

I think that was a really difficult patch for me at the start of the area when I didn't have a coach. I was very low in confidence. As a player, I guess you go through dips in the season when you're lacking a little bit.

I backed myself a lot more compared to earlier in the year. I think having the direction over the last few months built over consistency really helped.

Q. You said being aggressive against Marketa. In your next match, you're going to have to do that again. Is that the game plan, just go for it, be aggressive?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I definitely think playing Aryna, she's No. 1 in the world for a reason. You can't really do nothing or give nothing balls to her. I'm going to have to be aggressive but pick my moments and not kind of be overly. I think you can fall into that trap, too.

I don't think I'm going to go out there and out-power her, like, size-wise and power-wise. I think I'm going to have to try and be creative, as well.

Q. You've talked a lot this year about this idea of narrowing the gap to the top players. There's been an idea that maybe it's a bit difficult because you don't have as much natural power as them. Do you feel like grass, because of the extra that it gives you on the serve, maybe more than the other surfaces this is one where you feel like you can beat anyone?

EMMA RADUCANU: It definitely helps I think with the grass. You get a little bit extra with the new balls. At the same time, I feel like once they're a few games in or a few long rallies in, these Slazenger balls really fluff up quite quickly and get quite heavy and slow. I think it benefits the bigger hitters because they have time to load and give it some.

I think with grass, you get rewarded for staying in the ball a little bit extra because a nothing ball, a slice in the box, it's very tricky to kind of deal with.

I think you are incentivized to chase one more ball down and try and scrap and get it back and turn points around.

Q. You've talked about before the tournament your expectations being a bit lower given your buildup to the tournament. Have you learnt anything about yourself with the way you've handled things?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think the first round was extremely difficult just with the matchup and everything. I'm really proud of how composed I was in that first round.

Then today a different challenge, obviously playing a Grand Slam champion, such a tough opponent, but super crafty.

I think, of course, keeping expectations low is always going to help. It's just very difficult to kind of implement. You always are really hard on yourself. I'm the first to kind of bring myself down, I guess, and be my own harshest critic. I think trying to just really take the ball on one at a time, and that's what I did really well today. I stayed in the moment really well.

Q. Just before you came to this press conference, I saw you out there taking selfies with the fans. You went up on the bridge and were waving to them. It looked to me as if you looked more comfortable in the attention that you get than at any point in the past four years. Would you agree with that?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think there's something special about being here at Wimbledon. I really feel like I'm at home. It's amazing.

I was out there with my friends. It's so rad. I have all of them here in one place. They've been my rock through everything. They're the closest people to me outside of my family. That was really special.

I had the same sort of routine last year. I just really cherish these moments because we know how hard it is week to week playing on the tour. When we're here in this sort of environment feeling at home, it's so special. I think it's important to take it in. You don't know the next day how it's going to go.

Q. Home crowd really got behind you on Centre Court tonight. How much did that help you?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I really felt a big support today. The crowd was amazing. It was so electric. I think there were certain points as well in the match that were just from both sides really high level.

I turned one point around that I think is probably the best point I've ever played, so that was pretty crazy. I think the crowd were loving it.

I'm just so grateful to be playing in Centre Court. There was one moment in the second set where I looked up, and I was like, Oh, my God, how am I meant to hit the ball right now? I'm on Centre Court playing. I managed to stay focused and locked in.

It's pretty special when you take a moment to soak it all up what you're actually doing out there.

Q. That moment with the crowd and holding the mic up, you said, No pressure going into the third round. Do you genuinely mean that in terms of you're really enjoying this moment and going into this huge match, you're going to soak it up again?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think, of course, you always put pressure on yourself. I don't think any athlete truly goes out there and doesn't expect anything of themselves.

I have my own expectations of, like, what I want to try to be able to do on my own side. In terms of result, I really don't. Especially today, I just want to take it in because I know how fleeting these moments are. It's just a really big, big honor and testament to the work I've done in the last few months with my team as well and the people I have around me, of the work, and yeah, to have this result.

Q. Of late a lot of players have been talking about how mentally tough the game is. In this room last night Alexander Zverev gave a very poignant press conference about the lack of joy in his life, how he felt at a loss, no motivation. What would you say are the keys to playing this tough game with joy, mental wellness?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think tennis is a really difficult sport. You lose every week pretty much. Out of however many tournaments, 26 tournaments a year, you're pretty much losing 26 weeks a year. That's a really difficult concept to get your mind around.

At the same time, there's an opportunity the next week. You see the momentum in tennis, how players can go from losing a five-, six-, seven-match lose streak to winning a tournament. It shifts their whole season around.

It's a mentally really, really challenging sport. I think for me what I've found is trying to surround yourself with good people, trying to win the day, trying to focus on the process as much as possible. I think the results, it's really difficult to kind of take your joy from the results because it's so up and down. It's a roller coaster.

So trying to enjoy and thing, Okay, did I get 1% better today, or did I maintain today? Because maintaining as well is a big skill. If you don't do the right work, you can easily slip.

Yeah, trying to maintain or at least get a little bit better is probably the goal that I have, at least.

Q. You mentioned your friends there. Are they friends from school? How often do they get to watch you?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think it adds more significance because they never really get to come and watch me. We made it an annual thing. They can come to Wimbledon. It aligns with everyone's calendar. A lot of them live in America. They're friends from secondary school, childhood. One of them I've known since I was 6 years old. Then another one since I was 14.

Yeah, it's just so special. They're in the box there. When I look over to them, it just gives me an extra boost of motivation.

Q. You said you didn't get to look in the Royal Box, but it was pretty stacked today.

EMMA RADUCANU: I think it's so special in the Royal Box to have those kind of people in there. It definitely adds a bit of pressure, I guess, if you look up and you kind of recognize.

That's why I try and stay with my eyes on the court as much as possible. Only after you kind of look up and take it all in, if they're still there (smiling).