By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, August 24, 2025
NEW YORK—The fluorescent orange Nike shoes Emma Raducanu wore on court weren’t the only bright affirmation of her US Open return.
The 2021 US Open champion scored a statement win, stomping doubles specialist Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 in a 62-minute rout on Louis Armstrong Stadium in today’s opener.
Though Raducanu took the court as the heavy favorite and breeze to a 5-0 first set lead and a 4-0 second-set advantage, this was still an important first step.
The 22-year-old Briton scored her first US Open win since she beat Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 in the 2021 Flushing Meadows final.
“Of course I’m very, very pleased to have won that match,” Raducanu said. “It’s my first win here since 2021, so it’s extra special. First rounds are always difficult, especially at a Slam, you know, there are nerves, and I’m just so happy with the way I came through that
“Playing Ena, she’s really tricky, she hits so many balls on the baseline that I was not expecting to just dip and she obviously came through qualifying and you feel you have a bit of an advantage. You’re playing on the surface and knows what it feels like. So I’m just very pleased with how I managed myself, how I managed my game through that match.”
World No. 35 Raducanu set the tone on serve to set up her first strike.
Raducanu served 73 percent, won 27 of 33 first-serve points and saved the only break point she faced, holding for a 5-1 second-set lead.
Four years ago, Raducanu was Flushing Meadows’ shining star on the final Saturday. Raducanu made history as the first qualifier—man or woman—to play through qualifying and win a Grand Slam singles title at the 2021 US Open.
Returning today in the tournament’s first Sunday start, Raducanu made quick work of the 130th-ranked qualifier rolling out to a double-break 5-0 lead after only 19 minutes of play.
The 2022 Roland Garros mixed doubles champion Shibihara does her best work moving forward on the doubles court.
Today, Raducanu repeatedly beat her in running rallies, pushing Shibahara side-to-side draining errors from the Japanese player’s forehand. Shibahara committed 36 unforced errors—-30 more than the 22-year-old Briton—and sometimes struggled with her running forehand.
Since her Cinderella run to the 2021 US Open title, Raducanu had suffered successive opening-round exits in 2022—to Alize Cornet—and last year when American Sofia Kenin beat her 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.
Working with new coach Francisco Roig, Rafael Nadal’s former long-time coach, Raducanu whipped the wide serve on the deuce side of the court effectively and kept the ball moving corner to corner. Her athleticism and quickness around the court were key components as was the positive attitude.
These days, Raducanu is playing more freely—and it shows in her tennis.
“Well, I think compared to four years ago, I feel relaxed, I feel happy, I feel in a way like the same off court in terms of just enjoying my tennis, enjoying practicing, enjoying competing, and the process of getting better,” Raducanu said. “I think I feel the same in that sense. But I am just more aware now of everything that is possible.
“And, you know, when I won in ’21, I didn’t know, I guess about this world of potential negativity and bringing people down, bringing players down. I’d say that kind of affected me a lot in the last few years. It still definitely gets me from time to time, but overall I think I can enjoy what I’m doing day to day a lot more, I have good people around, so yeah, I’m just happy that I’m in this place with my tennis.”
Can Raducanu, who pushed world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to the limit in suffering a 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-6(5) Cincinnati loss that spanned three hours, nine minutes, turn this US Open into another joy ride?
The degree of difficulty will spike considerably as Washington, DC semifinalist Raducanu will face either 24th-seeded Veronika Kudermetova or qualifier Janice Tjen next. The winner of that clash could face former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, if the seeds hold true to form, in round three.
Today’s triumph was just the 14th major match win for Raducanu since she raised the 2021 title trophy in Queens.
For now, Raducanu is trying to ride the positive vibe—and winning wave—that has been missing since her inspired title run.
“I’d say I do feel very different to 2022. I really struggled when I came back in 2022,” Raducanu said. “I didn’t enjoy coming back here. I think now is the first time that I feel like I can come back to the US Open and really enjoy the memories that I made here and be proud of that and see it as a happy place.
“So for that, I feel very grateful for and very pleased about. So I feel in a much better place now.”
