Raducanu earns first US Open win since 2021 title run
Emma Raducanu beat Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday, her first victory at the US Open since winning the title four years ago.
She needed just 62 minutes to dispatch the qualifier Shibahara and advance to the second round in New York.
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“I’m very, very pleased to have won that match,” Raducanu said after the match. “It’s my first win here since 2021 so it’s extra special. First rounds are always difficult, and especially so in Slam, you know, there are nerves. So, I’m just so happy with the way I came through that, and playing Ena, she’s really tricky.
“She obviously came through qualifying, and you feel like you have a bit of an advantage having been playing on the surface, and I know what that feels like. So, I’m just very pleased with how I managed myself and managed my game through that match.”
Here are some key takeaways following Raducanu’s opening-round victory:
Key to the match: Raducanu's dominance left Shibahara little chance, dashing any hopes of a Raducanu-esque Cinderella run from the qualifiers.
Raducanu broke Shibahara’s serve early and raced to a 5-0 lead in the first set, closing it out in just 26 minutes. She broke again in the opening game of the second set and took a 4-0 lead before sealing the victory.
All the while, Raducanu faced just one break point in the match and committed just six unforced errors.
Back to winning ways in NYC 🗽@EmmaRaducanu | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/g2NN7Ia7yR
— wta (@WTA) August 24, 2025
Raducanu improves record against qualifiers: After defeating Shibahara, Raducanu improves to 3-1 against qualifiers in her Grand Slam career, with the lone loss coming to Lulu Sun in the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2024.
She has won seven out of 10 sets played in those matches.
Looking ahead: In the second round, Raducanu will face the winner of the first-round match between Janice Tjen and Veronika Kudermetova. Tjen, a qualifier, advanced to the main draw with three straight-set wins, while Kudermetova enters as the No. 24 seed.
Raducanu leads the head-to-head 1-0 against Kudermetova, following a win over the Russian on clay in Rome earlier this year. She has yet to face Tjen in her career.