'You don't want to be out by Sunday lunchtime' - Raducanu wins New York opener

US Open 2025

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Dates: 24 August-7 September

Coverage: Live power commentaries crossed 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentaries connected nan BBC Sport website & app

When Emma Raducanu recovered retired she was scheduled to play 1 of nan first matches connected nan US Open's caller Sunday start, it brought a spot of added pressure.

The British number 1 went into nan gathering pinch Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara having not won a lucifer astatine Flushing Meadows since her memorable 2021 title triumph.

Despite a fewer greeting nerves, Raducanu needed only 62 minutes to unafraid a 6-1 6-2 triumph and registry nan quickest Grand Slam main-draw triumph of her career.

"When I saw nan Sunday schedule, I thought first day, first lucifer astatine 11am - you don't want to beryllium retired of nan tourney by 12:30pm connected a Sunday," Raducanu, classed 35th successful nan world, told BBC Sport.

"That decidedly was connected my mind.

"At nan aforesaid time, if it goes good you get nan day off, which is really bully earlier your time disconnected successful betwixt matches.

"I'm pleased I tin bask nan remainder of my time and observe nan win."

Raducanu returns to lucifer action connected Wednesday erstwhile she faces Indonesian qualifier Janice Tjen.

Having secured nan first completed triumph of this year's tourney astatine 12:15 section time, Raducanu headed backmost to nan believe courts astatine astir 14:00.

New coach Francisco Roig, who agreed to subordinate Raducanu's squad earlier this month, worked connected her forehand returns from nan baseline successful a light-hearted convention lasting astir half an hour.

Roig has go a vocal beingness successful her courtside container - though location was small guidance aliases input needed against world number 130 Shibahara.

But, pinch nan lucifer taking spot connected a noisy Louis Armstrong Stadium, Raducanu said it would not person mattered moreover if nan Spaniard was trying to present instructions.

"You don't really perceive it unless you're benignant of lip-reading," she added.

"I astir apt don't return successful overmuch of what he's saying, but erstwhile I consciousness for illustration I really request it, I will spell over.

"For nan astir part, particularly erstwhile you're successful a lucifer for illustration today, I felt for illustration I had astir things nether power connected my broadside of nan court."

Despite only moving pinch each different for a fewer weeks, nan brace look to person already gelled.

Lengthy car journeys to nan Cincinnati Open, pinch Roig taking driving duties, strengthened their bond, and he has since started school Raducanu immoderate Spanish.

"If anyone asks if I tin opportunity thing successful Spanish, I conscionable bosh retired immoderate verb conjugations," she joked.

"It's not precisely nan champion speech starter but I'm getting there."

Chiropractor Jerome Poupel, a Frenchman based successful London, provides different sound successful Raducanu's new-look squad - arsenic good arsenic a quirky backmost story.

Poupel has antecedently worked pinch ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard and racing fable AP McCoy, arsenic good arsenic treating horses.

"I don't really cognize what he does pinch horses - I don't inquire questions! It conscionable seems to activity connected them," Raducanu said.

"I americium a equine connected my horoscope truthful I don't cognize if that has immoderate correlation."

Returning to nan segment wherever she shocked nan world arsenic a teenage qualifier has antecedently been a load for 22-year-old Raducanu.

Chastening first-round defeats successful 2022 and 2024 came either broadside of missing nan 2023 tourney done injury.

This twelvemonth she is backmost successful New York pinch improved shape and renewed vigour.

Raducanu has won much WTA Tour-level matches this twelvemonth than ever earlier and climbed to nan cusp of nan apical 30 successful nan world rankings.

A bid of injuries complete nan past 4 years, mixed pinch nan intelligence load of specified frenzied attention, has meant Raducanu is only now seeing nan US Open arsenic her "happy place".

Since arriving successful New York past weekend, she has trim a jovial fig - peculiarly during her outing alongside Carlos Alcaraz successful nan revamped mixed doubles event.

Feeling much relaxed and carefree disconnected tribunal is really she feels she tin champion fulfil her imaginable connected it.

"I thought it was a very cleanable performance, particularly for nan first information wherever location are nerves," admitted Raducanu.

"I collapsed a obstruction of not winning a lucifer present for 4 years.

"It is simply a relief. I'm happy to person stopped that and consciousness I tin support going without that successful my head."