In a display of sheer determination, Emma Raducanu has silenced her detractors with a hard-fought victory at the 2025 French Open, setting the stage for a blockbuster second-round clash with four-time champion Iga Swiatek. The 22-year-old British star, ranked 41st in the world, battled through illness to defeat China’s Wang Xinyu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in a grueling two-hour-and-44-minute match on the clay courts of Roland Garros. This win, her first at the tournament since 2022, marks a significant milestone in Raducanu’s resurgence, proving her resilience in the face of physical setbacks and past criticism about her tenacity.
Raducanu’s journey to this moment has been anything but straightforward. The 2021 US Open champion, once hailed as a teenage prodigy, has faced scrutiny for her perceived lack of grit in tough matches, particularly when not at her physical best. Yet, her performance against Wang showcased a newfound mental toughness. Despite waking up feeling “really sick” and requiring medical attention during the match, Raducanu dug deep to secure the victory. “I’m actually really proud of today’s match, more so than I think a lot of the matches that I played recently or in general, because I woke up and I felt really sick,” she said, reflecting on the effort it took to overcome her condition. “To have come through that and overcome how I was feeling, I’m really happy with it.”
The match itself was a rollercoaster. Raducanu, who had struggled with her backhand early on, leaned heavily on her powerful forehand to gain an edge. A medical timeout late in the first set, where she had her blood pressure checked and used ice to cool down, hinted at the physical toll. After clinching the opener, she faltered in the second set, trailing 1-5 as Wang capitalized on a controversial line call. But Raducanu’s resolve shone through in the decider. “I think after the second set I went to the bathroom and just really regrouped,” she explained, highlighting her ability to reset mentally. She surged to a double-break lead, and despite trading breaks, sealed the win with the match’s 17th break of serve, dropping her racquet in weary relief.
This victory comes on the heels of a challenging clay-court season. Raducanu, who missed the French Open in 2023 and 2024 due to injuries, had shown promise earlier in 2025. She reached the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and the fourth round in Rome, where she fell to Coco Gauff. A back spasm in Strasbourg last week raised concerns, but Raducanu’s use of dry needling and heat therapy—despite her admitted phobia of needles—helped her compete. “I was just fighting through. It was really difficult,” she said of the lingering discomfort. “It didn’t really go away throughout the whole match. I’m really happy because it would have been easy to let it drag me down.”
Now, Raducanu faces a daunting challenge against Swiatek, the world No. 5 and clay-court titan who extended her Roland Garros winning streak to 22 matches with a 6-3, 6-3 rout of Rebecca Sramkova. Swiatek, wary of underestimating Raducanu, noted, “She’s a great player and has a great forehand. She can use her top-spin pretty well.” The Pole, aiming for a historic fourth consecutive French Open title, acknowledges Raducanu’s potential to disrupt. “She won the US Open. She can play great tennis,” Swiatek added, signaling a tactical battle ahead.
Raducanu, however, is relishing the opportunity. “I think it’s a match for me where I can really test and challenge myself,” she said. “It’s her preferred tournament probably [and] surface. I need to hit the ball. I’m looking forward to that challenge.” Her recent progress, including eight wins in 11 matches under coach Mark Petchey, has bolstered her confidence. The clay, with its demanding rallies, remains a work in progress for Raducanu, but her increased match play—more tournaments in 2025 than ever before—has sharpened her competitive edge. “I have had a lot more three-set matches this year and come out successful more than in the past, which gives me more confidence,” she noted.
The British contingent at Roland Garros also celebrated wins from Jacob Fearnley, who upset 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, and Katie Boulter, who overcame qualifier Carole Monnet. Raducanu’s triumph, though, stands out as a testament to her evolving resilience, answering critics who doubted her ability to grind through adversity. As she prepares to face Swiatek, the tennis world watches to see if “The Raducanu Redemption” can produce another seismic upset on the red dirt of Paris.
# Emma Raducanu’s Gritty French Open Triumph: Overcoming Illness and Critics to Face Swiatek
In a display of sheer determination, Emma Raducanu has silenced her detractors with a hard-fought victory at the 2025 French Open, setting the stage for a blockbuster second-round clash with four-time champion Iga Swiatek. The 22-year-old British star, ranked 41st in the world, battled through illness to defeat China’s Wang Xinyu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in a grueling two-hour-and-44-minute match on the clay courts of Roland Garros. This win, her first at the tournament since 2022, marks a significant milestone in Raducanu’s resurgence, proving her resilience in the face of physical setbacks and past criticism about her tenacity.
Raducanu’s journey to this moment has been anything but straightforward. The 2021 US Open champion, once hailed as a teenage prodigy, has faced scrutiny for her perceived lack of grit in tough matches, particularly when not at her physical best. Yet, her performance against Wang showcased a newfound mental toughness. Despite waking up feeling “really sick” and requiring medical attention during the match, Raducanu dug deep to secure the victory. “I’m actually really proud of today’s match, more so than I think a lot of the matches that I played recently or in general, because I woke up and I felt really sick,” she said, reflecting on the effort it took to overcome her condition. “To have come through that and overcome how I was feeling, I’m really happy with it.”
The match itself was a rollercoaster. Raducanu, who had struggled with her backhand early on, leaned heavily on her powerful forehand to gain an edge. A medical timeout late in the first set, where she had her blood pressure checked and used ice to cool down, hinted at the physical toll. After clinching the opener, she faltered in the second set, trailing 1-5 as Wang capitalized on a controversial line call. But Raducanu’s resolve shone through in the decider. “I think after the second set I went to the bathroom and just really regrouped,” she explained, highlighting her ability to reset mentally. She surged to a double-break lead, and despite trading breaks, sealed the win with the match’s 17th break of serve, dropping her racquet in weary relief.
This victory comes on the heels of a challenging clay-court season. Raducanu, who missed the French Open in 2023 and 2024 due to injuries, had shown promise earlier in 2025. She reached the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and the fourth round in Rome, where she fell to Coco Gauff. A back spasm in Strasbourg last week raised concerns, but Raducanu’s use of dry needling and heat therapy—despite her admitted phobia of needles—helped her compete. “I was just fighting through. It was really difficult,” she said of the lingering discomfort. “It didn’t really go away throughout the whole match. I’m really happy because it would have been easy to let it drag me down.”
Now, Raducanu faces a daunting challenge against Swiatek, the world No. 5 and clay-court titan who extended her Roland Garros winning streak to 22 matches with a 6-3, 6-3 rout of Rebecca Sramkova. Swiatek, wary of underestimating Raducanu, noted, “She’s a great player and has a great forehand. She can use her top-spin pretty well.” The Pole, aiming for a historic fourth consecutive French Open title, acknowledges Raducanu’s potential to disrupt. “She won the US Open. She can play great tennis,” Swiatek added, signaling a tactical battle ahead.
Raducanu, however, is relishing the opportunity. “I think it’s a match for me where I can really test and challenge myself,” she said. “It’s her preferred tournament probably [and] surface. I need to hit the ball. I’m looking forward to that challenge.” Her recent progress, including eight wins in 11 matches under coach Mark Petchey, has bolstered her confidence. The clay, with its demanding rallies, remains a work in progress for Raducanu, but her increased match play—more tournaments in 2025 than ever before—has sharpened her competitive edge. “I have had a lot more three-set matches this year and come out successful more than in the past, which gives me more confidence,” she noted.
The British contingent at Roland Garros also celebrated wins from Jacob Fearnley, who upset 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, and Katie Boulter, who overcame qualifier Carole Monnet. Raducanu’s triumph, though, stands out as a testament to her evolving resilience, answering critics who doubted her ability to grind through adversity. As she prepares to face Swiatek, the tennis world watches to see if “The Raducanu Redemption” can produce another seismic upset on the red dirt of Paris.
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