Emma Raducanu was completely spectacular in her opening match on the US Open because the British tennis star destroyed A hundred and thirtieth-ranked qualifier Ena Shibahara 6-1 6-2 to clinch her first win at Flushing Meadows since 2021.
The Briton, who’s ranked at No. 35 on this planet and simply missed out on a seeding in New York this 12 months, bought straight to enterprise early on and broke the Japanese thrice to simply bag the opener.
After dominating the primary set, Raducanu stored with the identical depth initially of the second set and took the opening 4 video games, earlier than serving out for a dominant straight-set win within the eighth sport.
Throughout the match, the 2021 US Open champion impressively transformed 4 of her seven break level possibilities, whereas saving the one break level she confronted.
For the 22-year-old Briton – who wrote tennis historical past by turning into the primary qualifier ever to win a Grand Slam – this was her first victory at Flushing Meadows since she defeated Leylah Fernandez within the last 4 years in the past.
Within the second spherical, Raducanu faces the winner of the match between No. 24 seed Veronika Kudermetova and qualifier Janice Tjen.
Raducanu stated she was feeling 'glad and relaxed' going into this 12 months's US Open
After choosing up US Open first-round exits in 2022 and 2024, and never enjoying in 2023, Raducanu stated issues had been completely different this time.
“I feel in comparison with 4 years in the past, I really feel relaxed, I really feel glad, I really feel in a manner like the identical off courtroom when it comes to simply having fun with my tennis, having fun with working towards, having fun with competing, and the method of getting higher. I feel I really feel the identical in that sense," the event's 2021 champion stated earlier than the beginning of the US Open.
“However I’m simply extra conscious now of all the pieces that’s doable. Once I received in ’21, I suppose about this world of potential negativity and bringing folks down. I’d say that type of affected me so much in the previous couple of years. It nonetheless undoubtedly will get me infrequently, however general, I feel I can take pleasure in what I’m doing day after day much more. I’ve good folks round."
Raducanu's confidence will definitely improve after her dominant opening win and that may by no means be a foul factor.
