Emma Raducanu was visibly emotional, tearing up after securing a hard-fought comeback victory at the Eastbourne Open.
The British player defeated Ann Li in a lengthy first-round match, winning 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Raducanu sealed the win on her fourth match point with a fantastic backhand winner, dropping her racquet in apparent relief.
Tears flowed as she looked towards her coach, Mark Petchey, celebrating the moment before walking to the net to shake hands with her opponent.
During her emotional on-court interview, Raducanu stated, “It was incredible, I just want to thank the crowd for getting me through some really tough moments.”
She added, “It really meant a lot to me, and I`m so proud of how I fought back after losing the first set.”
“Ann was hitting winners all over the place, and it was obviously very windy,” she commented.
“I`m very, very happy to have battled through that today,” she concluded.
Describing the match, she said, “It was tough, it was up and down, but from the middle of the second set, I found an extra gear.”
Raducanu, aged 22 and working with her eighth coach, mentioned that things are progressing “very well” with Petchey supporting her.
She is scheduled to face Maya Joint in the next round of the Eastbourne tournament.
Despite recent back issues, Raducanu confirmed she is fit and “looking forward” to playing at Wimbledon next week.
Off the court, her friendship with men`s world number two, Carlos Alcaraz, has been generating attention.
She was seen watching from the stands as the Spanish player claimed the Queen`s title on Sunday.
An exclusive source reportedly commented on their shared time, saying, “Emma and Carlos` friendship was the subject of much discussion at Queen`s – people sense there might be something more between them due to their obvious chemistry.”
The source added, “He was reportedly seen at her hotel last week, and on Thursday and Saturday, when Emma attended to support him, her car arrived just minutes after Carlos and his team reached Queen`s.”
“Inside, they were observed laughing and chatting together,” the source stated.
“They appear very comfortable and happy in each other`s company,” the source concluded.
Speaking about their connection, Raducanu mentioned they have been friends since 2021 and share a “good relationship”.
She elaborated, “I think for all of us, we really value the connections we made when we were younger because as you become more recognized or successful, you naturally gravitate back towards people you`ve known for a long time, as those feel like genuine connections.”
“Life gets very busy, and you make many new friends, but the ones you`ve known for a long time mean significantly more,” she explained.
