Emma Raducanu’s French Open campaign ended on a disappointing note, as she fell to defending champion Iga Świątek in the second round. The Pole, meanwhile, won her 23rd straight match at the clay-court slam with her win on Wednesday.
Speaking after the match, the Brit said that she felt uncomfortable playing on Court Philippe-Chatrier alongside the former World No. 1. Her remarks followed earlier criticism of the tournament for not giving players adequate time to adjust to the conditions of the stadium courts.
Emma Raducanu Details What Made Her French Open Match Against Iga Świątek Unsettling
Raducanu showed little resistance against the three-time defending champion, losing 1-6, 2-6. Świątek looked dominant from the outset, converted four of her six break points, and hit 31 winners against 22 unforced errors. Moreover, the Pole extended her head-to-head lead against Raducanu to 5-0 after her win on Wednesday.
After getting past Wang Xinyu in her opener, the 2021 US Open champion claimed that the French Open hadn’t helped her secure time on a main court to adjust to conditions, accusing the organizers of favoring certain players. However, she was seen practicing on the Court Philippe-Chatrier a day after her comments.
Speaking in her post-match press conference after losing to Świątek , Raducanu admitted she felt uncomfortable while facing the five-time Major champion on Court Philippe-Chatrier, having never played there before.
“Yeah I think it was like the first time playing a match on that court and it’s like also different when it’s filled and it’s got everything around. So you do feel like it is a big court and it’s different and it’s new for me and it’s surrounding that she’s (Świątek) obviously very comfortable in and she’s played in it a lot of times,” she said.
“So I think that did emphasize like me feeling a bit uncomfortable, but it’s good experience for if I ever play on that court again,” she added.
Notably, Świątek arrived and began practicing for the French Open in Paris well in advance, right after facing an early exit in Rome.
“It Was a Really Difficult Match”: Emma Raducanu After Falling to Iga Świątek in French Open 2R
Earlier in the press conference, Emma Raducanu said that while Świątek looked confident during the match, she felt a little exposed, making it difficult for her.
“Yeah, it was a really difficult match. Iga played really well and yeah, it was tough. I think in the beginning of the match, it was pretty tight and as it went on, i think she grew in confidence and I just felt a bit exposed, so yeah it was a difficult one,” she said.
Raducanu is still looking to build momentum this season, having had a modest clay-court run with six wins out of ten matches. The 22-year-old has won 13 out of 24 matches so far in 2025.
