MUBADALA CITI DC OPEN

July 24, 2025

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

E. RADUCANU/N. Osaka

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Emma, congrats. Your thoughts on the match?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I'm really pleased with that match. I thought that it was pretty mature, and I was holding onto my own service games really well.

I knew going into the match that Naomi has been playing good, loves the hard court, so I was going to have to play well, manage my own service games, because she's very dangerous, hits a big ball, and serves extremely well.

Very pleased with just how I managed all the situations there.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What was the 2 you gave your coach after the win?

EMMA RADUCANU: It's just a bit of an inside joke with me and my friends from Wimbledon. Yeah, one of my friends are here, so we kind of continued that on (smiling).

Q. This was a big matchup. A lot of people were excited for this match. Did you feel any extra excitement? It was very full for an early-afternoon match in the stadium, two high-profile players. Did that give something extra to this one?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I did feel it had a bit of extra. I think after my first-round match, it was also in the daytime, a lot of people. But today, playing Naomi, it's a match that I feel a lot of people were talking about beforehand.

I knew that ahead of the match, but I actually, yeah, I quite like these kind of matchups where you're playing a great opponent, a lot of people have eyes on the match, they're into it. I enjoy it.

Yeah, I'm just pleased with how I was able to navigate playing a four-time slam champ.

Q. On the matchup with Naomi, a lot of people would consider Naomi to be one of the biggest hitters we have in the sport, but a fair amount of the points out there you were actually the one dictating quite a bit. How would you describe the power aspect of your game personally and maybe where you fit in among the players that are considered big-place players on the WTA Tour?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think she has got one of the biggest balls. You know, when she hits it, it's really, really heavy. It comes through a lot faster and flatter than I'd say certain opponents in the top 5. They probably hit the ball a bit heavier.

Naomi is pure speed, which is very difficult to deal with, especially on these courts where it's very lively. Yeah, I think it was extremely important to start the point well on my serve. And then when she lands her first serve, it's very difficult to do anything, but the second-serve opportunities that I was getting, I was happy with the second set how I started finding a better rhythm on it.

Q. Did anyone ask you about Team ER, how it came about, how it's going for you? Did you ever watch the show ER?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I haven't watched the show ER (smiling).

How it came about, so in 2022 in Cincinnati, me and Elena were going to play doubles together, and that fell through. Then here, when I was in D.C., I thought it would be a good idea to play doubles, get some extra matches in these conditions. It's very different. And also the fact we were able to play before singles, I think that really helped.

So, yeah, she was walking off the practice court, and I was on the practice court, and I was just, like, okay, I'll give it a shot. I wasn't really bothered if she said no. I asked her, and she was, like, Yeah, sure.

That's how it came about.

Q. What do you consider the biggest area of improvement for you in these past couple months?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think I have just been doing a lot of work consistently, just putting a lot of tennis in. Sometimes even if you don't feel good when you're practicing because you're doing a lot of hours and you don't feel like you're really pushing, it's all kind of hours banked.

I'm also doing, I think, a lot more focused work, and also, I think I'm serving better, and that helps a lot. I think I always returned pretty decent, but the element of just when I serve well, it does add another dimension to my game. I'm able to kind of start the points better and look for my forehand and get that into play a bit more and then dictate.

Q. When you say "more focused work," do you mean like in the gym or do you mean on the court in terms of areas of your game?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think on the court a lot more. Just, yeah, I bit more -- I think I have done a lot of groundwork now, and I'm just trying to work on cementing the basics a lot, particular shots just work on as well from the back of the court. Yeah, it's paying off on these courts.

Q. When you're laying some of that groundwork, apart from the technical and analytical parts of the game, do you ever watch some video back and watch how your aura and energy is on the court? Where would you describe it is right now as you have been having some success on the tour lately?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think when I watch myself now, I really like how I look on the court. Not in like a narcissistic way. (Laughter.) I mean in terms of energy, and I think I feel quite upbeat. The pink outfit is pretty cute as well.

I think it's more I look composed on the court. I feel composed. I think that's a product of just the amount of work I'm doing behind the scenes that maybe people don't see. I love that, I love banking it in, doing everything in the shadows.

Yeah, and then I feel pretty calm, because I know regardless of the result I'm doing the right things, and I'm banking so many good days in a row and trying to keep a streak going. It's working really well. It takes a bit of pressure off the immediate result in the matches.

Q. This is sort of a similar question, because you've had such a unique career with having the big success and having to deal with injuries. The level of joy you're able to get now being in the mix, even though you have bigger and better goals, but just to be where you are now in a position to build up, how does that motivate you to continue working each day?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I'm really pleased with how I'm tracking, how I'm building. My goal, it's kind of gone away from result-orientated goals and just enjoying each day and trying to bank as many good ones as possible in a row and not let a bad day kind of creep in, or if a bad morning session, like trying to regain it straightaway.

Yeah, just minimizing the amount of time that I kind of go down or go into myself. I think I have done a really good job of that, and that's my main objective now, because the results are so fleeting. Even if you win the US Open, you're great for about a few days, and then straight back to it, straight back to work.

Yeah, it's such an unforgiving schedule that there is a tournament every single week. Even if you win a Grand Slam and you lose, you know, because you're tired the next week, you still feel bad because you lost.

Yeah, it's weird, but now that's just my goal, to keep putting these good days of work in and keep collecting them. I have done a really good job of that.

Q. In New York you're in the mix for the mixed. This is a pretty unique opportunity to play top players, top singles guys from the men's side. Are there any of them you're most curious to step on court with and see what it's like to play against them and to feel their shots or anything like that?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think curious is a particular one. I think I'm most scared to play certain shots.

Q. Which ones scare you then?

EMMA RADUCANU: Honestly I think, like, Ben Shelton's serve, that scares me. (Laughter.) That's probably one in particular. And then obviously all the guys. It's like very difficult to return their serves.

But of course I'm very excited. It's such a unique opportunity, and I think, you know, a lot of the females will be probably feeling the say way. Returning the guys' serve is quite difficult.

Q. Getting Opelka's serve potentially?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, yeah. He's serving from a stepladder. It's incredible. (Laughter.)

Q. Your level is incredibly high today. You're 26th in the race now. Do you think that's a fair assessment of where you're at on tour? Do you feel like if you play how you did today that you see yourself as being a bit higher than that?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I don't see myself as higher than that. I just see myself as where I'm at, what the numbers say. I think I'm working towards going higher, and I just feel that right now it's probably a good assessment.

I think I'm obviously aiming higher and building towards going higher in the race, but as I said before, I just want to take care of my good days. I'm collecting them and I'm on quite a few right now. Yeah, it's a great streak.