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Emma Raducanu fought back tears on Wednesday in a peculiar first-round win over Jacqueline Christian at the Korea Open.
Her emotions boiled up midway through the first set, as she missed a series of first serves and also netted a forehand in the seventh game. But it was never quite clear whether this was performance anxiety or some other underlying issue.
The British No 1’s decision to play in Seoul came amid criticism from Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong, who said Raducanu’s decision to pull out of the tournament was “disappointing”.
Speaking at the end of the match – which she eventually closed out by a 6-3, 6-4 margin – Raducanu merely made reference to the rain delays which have ruined the tournament’s schedule and left everyone waiting impatiently for their moment on court.
“I’m happy to have won today,” she told the on-court interviewer. “It hasn’t been easy, you know. I feel like I’ve played this match [three times] in the last three days so to pull through after waiting, I’m super pleased with how I came through. Tough conditions, very slow long rallies, long points.”
Those early scenes were worryingly reminiscent of Raducanu’s unfortunate brush with a stalker in February, which had found her hiding behind the umpire’s chair in tears after the man gained entry to her match against Karolina Muchova in Dubai. The man has since been hit with a restraining order.
Yet there was no reason to believe that anything so serious was going on this time. Nor did Raducanu’s travails last for long. Despite her early struggles, she came up with enough excellent shots on important points to despatch Christian – the world No 41 – in straight sets, and then managed to smile her way through the post-match interview.
Could she have been affected by comments from Shenzhen? The other leading British women are all in China’s third-largest city, where they are due to take on Japan on Thursday in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals. During a press conference on Wednesday morning, team captain Anne Keothavong had been asked about Raducanu’s absence and replied: “Obviously [it’s] just disappointing not to have your top player here.”
While it is possible that Raducanu might have noticed those comments, which came only a couple of hours before she went on court, she didn’t express any strong feelings on the subject when it came up during her post-match press conference in Seoul.
Asked why she had chosen to play the Korea Open instead of representing Britain in the BJK Cup, a competition that had produced some of her best performances last season, Raducanu repeated the same points that her management team had raised when announcing her absence almost two weeks ago.
To be more precise, she said that she was keen to focus on her ongoing development work with new coach Francis Roig, while also acknowledging that the decision had been a difficult one.
With regard to her performance in Seoul, Raducanu also spoke about coming out onto the court with little energy, as a result of the apparently endless rain delays which disrupted her practice plans, and said that she had been forced to battle with her emotions in the middle of the match, Korean sources reported.
In the circumstances, it was perhaps unsurprising that both players hit far more unforced errors – 33 for Raducanu and 41 for Christian – than winners. It was also an extremely humid evening, which must have left them feeling drained and dehydrated afterwards.
Raducanu generally didn’t look her usual committed self. There were only a couple of fist-pumps, as she lifted her game in the crunch moments towards the end of each set, and her body language tended towards the negative. When her first serve went through a sticky patch in the middle of the second set, she gestured impatiently at Roig on the sidelines as if expecting him to have an immediate solution.
Back to winning ways for Emma Raducanu 👏 pic.twitter.com/nWJof7VB5y
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) September 17, 2025
But even while lacking peak form, Raducanu is having an excellent season against everyone but the world’s elite, and her winning habit shone through in the end. The statistics say that she has lost her last eight matches against top-ten opposition, dating back to Miami in March. But when playing anyone outside the top ten, she has been extremely reliable, winning 23 of her last 27 matches.
This trend could be challenged in the next round, however, as Raducanu faces the 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova. Having dropped to No 39 in the world because of her recent injury struggles, Krejcikova is clearly undervalued on the rankings ladder, as she showed by reaching the quarter-finals of the recent US Open.
Raducanu* 6-3, 6-4 Cristian
Victory in straight sets books Raducanu’s place in the last 16 of the competition where she will face former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Coming out on 🔝@EmmaRaducanu digs deep for a straight sets victory against Cristian, 6-3, 6-4.#KoreaOpenpic.twitter.com/5yYNMqAAea
— wta (@WTA) September 17, 2025
Raducanu* 6-3, 6-4 Cristian
Game, set and match!
After falling 0-30 behind, Raducanu follows up a body serve with an-inch perfect forehand winner to level us up at 30-30.
She goes on to save break point before making no mistake on match point to claim a hard-fought victory under difficult circumstances with so many rain disruptions.
Raducanu 6-3, 5-4 Cristian*
Huge break for Raducanu! That could prove to be so costly for Cristian, who has been increasingly loose on serve in recent games.
Raducanu turns to her coach and punches the air after grinding out what could be a decisive game in this contest.
It’s been a gruelling test at times, but Raducanu is now one service game away from a place in the last 16.
Raducanu* 6-3, 4-4 Cristian
Now it’s Raducanu’s turn to find the line, firing a pin-point cross-court winner past a helpless Cristian.
Raducanu has settled into a more reliable rhythm on serve but this time it’s her ground-strokes which let her down as she loops an easy forehand wide of the mark to level the game up at 15-15.
A lengthy rally ensues with neither player giving an inch until Raducanu finds an extra bit of muscle to pummel a winner down the line.
Raducanu continues the sublime hitting with a delicate cross-court backhand to make it 40-15. Cristian won’t be put away, though, and the Romanian battles back to deuce with some crisp-hitting of her own.
What a rally! An enthralling exhibition of ball-striking ends with Raducanu winning the point after Cristian’s forehand lands long.
Raducanu follows that up with another one-two punch to level us up at 4-4.
Raducanu 6-3, 4-3 Cristian*
Raducanu decides to challenge an out call on the left-side of the baseline but it’s shown to have just dipped in.
Cristian crunches a 23rd winner of the game to take a commanding 40-0 lead in the game. She brushes off a sixth double fault of the match to close out the game and take a 4-3 lead.
Raducanu* 6-3, 3-3 Cristian
Raducanu races into a 30-0 lead, are we on for only the first hold-of-serve in the set? Maybe not as Raducanu dumps both of her next two serves into the net.
She follows that up with a fourth ace of the contest to move to 40-15. The Briton holds her nerve and closes out the game to lock us up at 3-3.
Raducanu 6-3, 2-3 Cristian*
What a topsy-turvy contest. Neither player looks secure on their serve and this time it’s Raducanu’s opportunity to take advantage, breaking straight back to make it 2-3.
Raducanu briefly converses with Roig at the change-over. The veteran coach can be heard offering some advice on her first-serve technique, which has been respectable at the 65 per cent mark.
That’s four successive breaks now in this set alone.
*Raducanu 6-3, 1-3 Cristian
Important that Raducanu backs up that break with a hold of serve but she’s quickly forced into some frantic defending at the back of the court as Cristian looks to extend her second-set lead.
The Romanian earns break point and a Raducanu double fault ends the game with a whimper.
Raducanu 6-3, 1-2 Cristian*
Vintage stuff from Raducanu! The 22-year-old goes on the offensive and quickly earns three break points with a series of crunching forehands.
The pair proceed to trade ground-strokes at the back of the court and it’s Raducanu who manages to get the better of the exchange to break back.
Raducanu 6-3*, 0-2 Cristian
Cristian breaks!
Scintillating stuff from the world number 41, who neutralises Raducanu’s floundering serve with a brutal return winner to gain the upper hand in this second game.
Raducanu double faults at 15-30 down to give Cristian a 15th break point of the match which she converts to take an early 2-0 lead in the second set.
Raducanu 6-3, 0-1 Cristian*
Desperate start to the second set for Cristian, who racks up her fifth double fault of the match to make it 15-15.
She recovers ably, though, claiming three quick points with a combination of solid serving and power-hitting to get on the board.
Raducanu* 6-3 Cristian
Cristian is refusing to let this set go without a fight. The Romanian forces the second break point of the game having already saved a set point in between.
Raducanu let’s out a huge roar as she fires a first serve down the centre line to move to within a point of the the first set.
She follows it up with another well-directed serve which Cristian can only loop into the net to give Raducanu a hard-fought one-set advantage.
Raducanu 5-3 Cristian*
Cristian serving with new balls at 3-4.
That’s more like it from Raducanu, who pounces on an under-hit slice and carves a forehand winner down the line for 0-15.
Cristian double-faults on her next serve to give Raducanu a golden opportunity to take command of this opening set, which is approaching the hour mark.
Raducanu breaks! She will serve for the first set after Cristian double-faults for a second time.
Raducanu* 4-3 Cristian
Raducanu appears to be very emotional here as her serving struggles continue. She’s taking ages between points and regularly checking in with Roig.
She rallies to fight back from a difficult early position in the game and digs in to hold serve for a 4-3 lead in the match.
Raducanu 3-3 Cristian*
Cristian makes her 16th unforced error of the match to gift Raducanu an early 0-15 advantage.
She bounces back immediately, pouncing on a short ball to dispatch her seventh forehand winner of the contest.
There’s a rare miss from the Romanian as she dumps another short ball into the net to lock the game up at 30-30.
Raducanu opts to take on Cristian’s first serve but her timing is miles off and her shot lands in the seats behind the court.
The Brit picks up two quick points to force only her second break-point opportunity of the match which she duly converts after another unforced error from Cristian.
*Raducanu 2-3 Cristian
Cristian is growing in confidence in this encounter while Raducanu is struggling to find any semblance of consistency on serve.
Locked at 30-30, Raducanu registers her first ace of the match to earn game point, much to the delight of the Seoul crowd, who are well behind the British No 1.
Raducanu produces a lovely combination to hold serve and avoid going down a double break.
Raducanu 1-3 Cristian*
Raducanu races into a 0-30 lead to heap the pressure back on Cristian, who responds with two heavy first serves to regain parity.
The unseeded Romanian challenger makes it four points without reply as Raducanu sends a wild forehand out of court.
A first Cristian double fault keeps gives Raducanu a reprieve but another loose ground stroke gives Cristian a second game point.
Raducanu digs deep, unloading a series of forehands to force deuce for the second time. Her resilience proves to no avail as Cristian fires back-to-back aces down the centre of the court to take a 3-1 lead.
Raducanu* 1-2 Cristian
Raducanu receiving plenty of audible instructions from coach Francis Roig, who doesn’t seem entirely happy with her charge’s service motion.
Cristian quickly forces break point but she can’t capitalise, sending her forehand wide.
She’s right back on the front front, though, and hammers a weak Raducanu second serve straight back down the line for another break-point opportunity.
Cristian unloads again on the second serve but Raducanu works hard on the baseline to stay in the point and force deuce. Break point number three comes and goes for Cristian as Raducanu finds a strong serve out wide to stay in the game.
On her eighth break point of the match and fourth of the game, Cristian finally converts to take a 2-1 lead in the set.
Raducanu 1-1 Cristian*
Immaculate response from the 27-year-old Romanian who has settled into an impressive rhythm on her forehand.
Raducanu struggling to establish herself in the opening rally exchanges.
Raducanu’s Billie Jean King Cup snub ‘disappointing’ says captain Anne Keothavong
Emma Raducanu’s decision to pull out of Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup campaign is disappointing, Anne Keothavong said.
Raducanu accepted a wildcard to the Korean Open in Seoul, less than two weeks before she was scheduled to travel to Shenzhen to lead Great Britain’s team.
Raducanu said the decision was made to prioritise her work with new coach Francisco Roig, who took up the role just three weeks before the US Open. She also has ranking points to defend having reached the quarter-finals in Korea last year.
“Obviously [it’s] just disappointing not to have your top player here,” Great Britain captain Keothavong said when asked about Raducanu’s absence.
“But look, as I’ve said before, we’re here and we’re ready to go tomorrow. This is a competition that means a lot to all of us and one that we really want to do well together as a team. I’m feeling confident as captain with the players I have here.”
Francesca Jones was called up as a late replacement, travelling to China a few days after her teammates because she was competing in a semi-final in Sao Paulo.
Jones said: “Obviously, I am very patriotic, proper northerner that loves my country. I’m very happy to be here and join the girls.”
Raducanu was an integral part of the Billie Jean King Cup team that reached the semi-finals last year in Malaga, winning all of her singles matches, before the team were knocked out by runners-up Slovakia.
She had already missed the qualifying round in The Hague earlier this year to train with then-coach Mark Petchey in Los Angeles, but had committed to being a part of the team in the finals.
The Billie Jean King Cup and the Davis Cup are an important part of the tennis calendar, and allow players a rare opportunity to enjoy a team environment so different from the individual nature of the professional tour.
Raducanu* 1-0 Cristian
Excellent hold after what was a nervy start for Raducanu having opened up the match with a double fault.
She finally finds the service box on her fourth attempt of the game but Cristian produces a series of powerful ground-strokes to go 40-15 up.
Raducanu rallies well to save four break points in total and take the opening game after Cristian pushed her forehand long.
Warm-ups under way
Raducanu has fond memories of this event having reached the semi-finals in 2022 and quarter-finals last year.
The court surface does look on the clammy side after hours of rainfall – let’s hope we don’t have any issues with footing.
This is the first ever meeting between these two so an element of the unknown for both players as play gets under way to applause from the hardy Seoul souls who have endured a soggy evening so far.
Raducanu to serve first.
Raducanu next up
Romanian Sirana Cirstea advances to the last 16 after a routine 6-3, 6-1 win over lucky loser Anastasia Zakharova.
Cirstea uses her post-match media duties to thank the fans who have braved the lengthy rain delays to see her set up a last-16 clash with world No 2 and tournament number top seed, Iga Swiatek.
Raducanu next up on centre court.
What’s plan B if rain returns?
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If the Korea Open continues to be disrupted by inclement weather, the tournament organisers may have to take more dramatic steps than simply waiting – and hoping – for the rain to stop.
Some tournaments have in the past been forced to hold matches on indoor courts. That would mean no or very few spectators but at least the tournament would be able to continue.
There is also in some cases the option for the tournament to run into an extra day, although in this case with two days potentially washed out it could cause problems.
In 2023, when the competition in Auckland was moved indoors, Raducanu criticised the “slippery” courts for causing her to twist an ankle which forced her early retirement.
Raducanu needs to bring in ‘new patterns’
Here’s Telegraph Sport tennis correspondent, Simon Briggs, writing after Raducanu’s elimination at the US Open, on what the 22-year-old must do to challenge the game’s elite players.
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Why is there such a huge disparity in Emma Raducanu’s performances this year? And why haven’t promising showings against decent players translated into more respectable scorelines against the world’s true elite?
The answer is partly game-style, and partly psychology. Raducanu has a very specific idea of how tennis works. She expects a good shot – and especially a good serve – to bring a reward. When the short return does not materialise – and it tends not to against players of the quality of Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina – she feels baffled and powerless.
If there was a common theme in the drubbings that Raducanu suffered in Melbourne, Paris and New York, all against these two players, it was the uncertainty of her strategy. She might have tried the occasional slice, or the odd looped return, but there was no focused thought, just a sense of gathering panic.
Raducanu is a pure striker of the ball who, because of her relative lack of stature, does not generate as much power as the very best. Her real skill lies in using her fleet-footed movement to step into the court and take time away from her opponent. But Swiatek and Rybakina deny her that opportunity with their consistent depth, pace and spin.
Raducanu says that her immediate priority is to improve the quality of her strokes. And that might help. But the fact remains: she does not have the physical raw materials of Rybakina, Swiatek and Anisimova. At some stage, she needs to accept that – against high-quality players like these – she needs to bring in new patterns. The established ones have resulted in some thumping defeats.
Cameron Norrie leading in China
Elsewhere in tennis, Raducanu’s compatriot Cameron Norrie is in first-round action at the Chengdu Open in China.
The South African-born British No 2 is one set to the good in his match against hometown favourite Zhou Yi.
Norrie is hoping to improve his world number 36 ranking following his US Open third-round exit to Novak Djokovic.
Play resuming
The WTA has just confirmed that play is getting back under way in Seoul, beginning with the resumption of Anastasia Zakharova’s first-round match against Sirana Cirstea, which is currently 2-2 in the opening set.
Raducanu vs Cristian will follow that match on centre court.
The revised Center Court schedule as we look to get back underway after rain delay in Seoul! 🤞
📍 #KoreaOpen
Zakharova vs. Cirstea
Cristian vs. [8] Raducanu
[3] Tauson vs. Lys https://t.co/xP9Ubc6D4s— wta (@WTA) September 17, 2025
Raducanu’s history of coaches
Is Roig the missing piece in the puzzle for Raducanu as she continues her quest for a maiden WTA title?
Former coach Andrew Richardson left his role just weeks after guiding Raducanu to US Open glory in 2021. Here’s a look at the revolving door of coaches that have worked with the Briton since that famous and unforgettable triumph.
Live scenes…
…from Seoul Olympic Park Tennis Centre, where rain continues to fall onto the already sodden hard-court surface.
A thorough mop-up operation will have to be carried out soon if we’re going to see any tennis today.
Weather update
Still no play possible at the moment with rain continuing to fall in the South Korean capital.
A quick glance at the forecast suggests the worst of the weather is clearing out towards the east of the country, which should open up the possibility of some tennis in the next hour.
Disclaimer: I am not a qualified meteorologist… yet.
What has Roig changed?
Roig, Raducanu’s seventh full-time coach in three and a half years since turning professional, has quickly established a strong foundation of trust with his new student, which has been founded on a shared love of playing golf and eating steak.
The 57-year-old has forged a reputation as one the game’s greatest technical thinkers but physical conditioning will be top of the Spaniard’s list of work-ons for his new charge as the 2025 season comes to a close.
Here’s Sonia Twigg on Raducanu’s fitness issues:
Since 2021, one of the biggest problems for Raducanu has been to remain fit enough to play a full part of the tour. She has had surgery on both wrists, a serious ankle injury and numerous other problems that have forced her to spend months off court.
In 2024, she played just 36 matches, and started this year with a back problem. But the appointment of fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura seemed to have changed that.
Although Nakamura had to return to his native Japan a few months later for personal reasons, there have been no major lay-offs since Miami.
Other than a minor back problem that forced her to retire from Berlin and affected her French Open, from Queen’s and into the US-swing, Raducanu has not been obviously hampered by fitness troubles.
Encouraging signs for Raducanu-Roig dynamic
Raducanu reached the third round of at least three majors this season for the first time in her career and believes there has been a marked improvement in her game since linking up with Roig, who coached 22-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal for 18 years.
“I’ve lost to Iga [Swiatek] twice, Aryna [Sabalenka], and Elena, so it’s tough,” Raducanu said after her US Open exit earlier this month.
“But at the same time, that’s where I’m at with my ranking. I can play top opponents in the first, second, or third round.
“So I’ve just got to do my best in the next few months until Australia to just keep working to try and close the gap.
”I think when the very top play against me, they have a point to prove that they’re at the top, and they’re there for a reason. I think every time I’ve played one, they’ve kind of shown that.
“So I think at the same time while I’m improving, doing better, gaining some more respect around, I think the top have definitely raised their game.
“I’ll take that as a compliment that they’ve decided to really lock in against me, but at the same time it does show I have a lot more work to do.”
Raducanu has sights set on ‘next level’
Raducanu’s decision to turn down the chance of representing her country at this week’s Billie Jean King Cup drew raised eyebrows, but Telegraph Sport’s Sonia Twigg believes the 22-year-old is right to prioritise her development and recent progress under new coach Francis Roig.
It would be easy to criticise Emma Raducanu’s decision to pull out of the Billie Jean King Cup, but to do so would diminish the biggest challenge she has to overcome.
There will be those who argue it is a snub to the Lawn Tennis Association who have supported her journey since she was a youngster, or that she has let down her team by making the late decision. But when you consider the journey she has had over the last year, it makes perfect sense.
When Raducanu was knocked out of the US Open third round in straight sets by Elena Rybakina, she had already broken the string of first-round exits that stretched back to the year she lifted the trophy in 2021.
It was also the culmination of her best season for four years. In a relatively injury-free year she managed to climb the rankings from 60th in January, to 36th at the end of August.
With the appointment of Francis Roig, Raducanu has a coach with an unparalleled technical knowledge capable of lifting her to the next level.
Rain delay
Oh dear. It looks like day three of this WTA 500 event is going much the same way as day two with steady rain now falling in Seoul.
Raducanu’s match is scheduled to take place second on centre court following the conclusion to Sorana Cirstea vs Anastasia Zakharova, which was locked at 2-2 in the first set before play was suspended.
Let’s hope it’s only a brief interlude.
Krejcikova lies in wait
Krejcikova advances 💪
She will play either Cristian or Raducanu in the Round of 16 in Seoul.@BKrejcikova | #KoreaOpenpic.twitter.com/dQO9M6wMtH
— wta (@WTA) September 16, 2025
A meeting with former world number two Barbora Krejcikova awaits Raducanu in the next round should she win this morning.
Krejcikova, who reached the last eight at the US Open, overcame qualifier Tatiana Prozorova 6-1, 6-2 in the only game to be completed on Tuesday on an otherwise rain-disrupted day in Seoul.
Tournament top seed and world No 2 Iga Swiatek is also on the same side of the draw.
Raducanu’s Australian Open ambitions
Earlier this month, Raducanu decided to withdraw from Great Britain’s squad for the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-final against Japan in favour of accepting a wild-card invitation for the Korea Open.
The current world No 33 is hoping a strong showing in Seoul can improve her WTA ranking and earn her a seeded spot at the Australian Open, which kicks off the 2026 season in January next year.
Raducanu was initially selected to represent Britain alongside Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage and Sonay Kartal, but captain Anne Keothavong has since called up world No 89 Francesca Jones to replace her.
The LTA said they were “disappointed” by Raducanu’s withdrawal for the last-eight clash, which begins in China on Thursday.
Hello!
And welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of Emma Raducanu’s Korea Open first round match against Romanian challenger Jaqueline Cristian.
The British No 1 was due to get her campaign up and running yesterday but a deluge of rain in Seoul meant the match was suspended and rescheduled for this morning.
This will be the 22-year-old’s first outing since her US Open third-round exit at the hands of Elena Rybakina earlier this month.
Raducanu looked close to reproducing her best tennis at Flushing Meadows, raising faint hopes of another deep run into the tournament she won as an 18-year-old in 2021.
She blew away qualifier Ena Shibahara inside just 62 minutes in the opening round, before dispatching Janice Tjen in the quickest grand slam victory of her career to reach the third round.
But Raducanu ultimately came unstuck in a bruising 6-1, 6-2 defeat to world number 10 Rybakina.
Attention now turns to Seoul and the opportunity to improve her overall WTA ranking before January’s Australian Open.
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