Emma Raducanu made a strong comeback to win an utterly grueling first-round match against the USA’s Ann Li at the Eastbourne Open on Tuesday. Overcome with emotion after her hard-fought victory, the Brit broke down in tears. Later, while reflecting on the match, Raducanu also spoke about the intensity and challenges she had to endure.
Emma Raducanu Overcome With Emotion After Grueling Eastbourne Opener
The World No. 38 is doing her best to find form ahead of the Wimbledon Championships. Her preparations were disrupted last week when back spasms forced her to withdraw from the Berlin Tennis Open. Nevertheless, she returned to action in Eastbourne, though she appeared to struggle early on against Li and looked in pain later.
Raducanu, who initially battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the first set, eventually lost it in a tight tiebreak, 6-7(7). She then saved four break points in the second set and capitalized on her chances to take a 4-2 lead before closing it out 6-3. In the decider, the Brit cruised through with minimal resistance, dominating 6-1 to seal her place in the next round. Notably, Raducanu’s coach, Mark Petchey, and British No. 5 Fran Jones were present in her box to show support.
After sealing the match with a stunning backhand winner, the British No. 1 grew emotional, shedding tears as the Centre Court crowd rose to applaud her gritty performance. Watch the video shared by the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) below:
all the emotions at the end 🫶
Grit and determination from Raducanu to get through a 3 set battle with Li!#LexusEastbourneOpen pic.twitter.com/JC66PkV886
— wta (@WTA) June 24, 2025
Raducanu continues her strong run on grass, building on a quarterfinal finish at the Queen’s Club Championships nearly two weeks ago. The 22-year-old has now won her opening-round match in each of her last seven WTA Tour appearances.
Emma Raducanu Reflects on the Challenges She Faced During Eastbourne 1R Win
Speaking after the match, Raducanu reflected on the challenges she faced, highlighting the blustery conditions and other factors that made it a ‘physically demanding’ contest.
“It was a physically demanding match. I think it was pretty difficult, and in the wind, you’re constantly trying to adjust. We had some long rallies, you’re running a lot. So I feel okay, I mean, a little bit of fatigue and a bit of stiffness, but I need to just see how I pull up tomorrow,” she said.
“It was a physically demanding match. I think it was pretty difficult & in the wind, you’re constantly trying to adjust. We had some long rallies, you’re running a lot. So I feel okay, I mean, a little bit of fatigue & a bit of stiffness…”https://t.co/hg9G3GSVh7
— Raducanu News (@RaducanuNews) June 24, 2025
As she later revealed, one of the main reasons behind the 2021 US Open champion’s emotional reaction after the match was some bad news she had received. However, she chose not to disclose any details about it.
“I received some pretty bad news, so I would like to keep it personal if that’s okay, but it was difficult and very emotional at the end and probably just a release of different emotions,” she added.
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Raducanu, who is the seventh seed in the tournament, will face Australia’s Marta Joint in the second round. The Brit holds a 1-0 head-to-head advantage over the Aussie, thanks to her win in their previous encounter at the 2025 Italian Open last year.
