New York: Former champion Emma Raducanu rediscovered her winning touch at the U.S. Open, clinching her first victory at Flushing Meadows since her stunning 2021 title run. The Briton delivered a commanding performance on Sunday, sweeping past Japan’s Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 in the opening round.
Raducanu, who lifted the trophy as a qualifier in 2021, had stumbled in the first round in each of her past two appearances. This time, however, she looked sharp and assured from the start, showing signs of renewed confidence under new coach Francisco Roig, whom she joined forces with earlier this month.
“It’s my first win here since 2021, so it’s extra special,” said Raducanu. The 21-year-old Briton wasted little time asserting her dominance, racing through the first set with five straight games and limiting herself to just four unforced errors. Shibahara, who entered as a qualifier, struggled with consistency, handing Raducanu an early edge with two double faults.
In-form Emma Raducanu starts with a dominant win! pic.twitter.com/xkEh7O6CVv
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 24, 2025
The second set followed a similar pattern, as Raducanu opened with four consecutive games, held firm on her only break point against, and sealed victory when Shibahara faltered on match point from the baseline.
Sunday’s win adds to a growing body of evidence that Raducanu is regaining form. She reached the semi-finals at the Washington Open earlier this month and pushed world number one Aryna Sabalenka to three sets in Cincinnati.
Raducanu now awaits the winner of 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova’s clash with Indonesian qualifier Janice Tjen in the second round. A victory there would mark another important milestone in her effort to re-establish herself among the game’s elite after years of injuries and inconsistency.
