In the vibrant heart of Seoul, South Korea, the tennis world is buzzing with anticipation as Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, was recently spotted honing her skills at the Olympic Park Tennis Center. The 22-year-old British star is gearing up for the 2025 Korea Open, a WTA 500 hard-court tournament running from September 15 to 21, 2025, where she’s determined to make her mark. After a rollercoaster season marked by resilience and recovery, Raducanu’s presence in Seoul signals her unwavering ambition to climb the rankings and reclaim her place among tennis’s elite.
Raducanu’s journey to Seoul follows a promising yet challenging 2025 season. With a 26–18 win-loss record, she’s shown flashes of brilliance, including a third-round appearance at the US Open, where she dispatched Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 and Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-1 before falling to Elena Rybakina 1-6, 2-6. Her aggressive baseline play and adaptability, paired with a 64.1% first-serve win percentage and 58.1% second-serve win rate, have fueled her resurgence. After a brief training block in Barcelona with her coach Francisco Roig, formerly Rafael Nadal’s mentor, Raducanu arrived in Seoul as the eighth seed, having secured a wildcard entry into the main draw. Her decision to prioritize the Korea Open over representing Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen—a choice that stirred debate—underscores her focus on earning crucial ranking points to secure a seeded spot at the 2026 Australian Open.
The Olympic Park Tennis Center, where Raducanu was seen practicing alongside German player Eva Lys, is no stranger to her. In 2024, she battled through humid conditions to reach the quarter-finals, defeating Peyton Stearns 7-6(4), 7-6(5) and Yue Yuan 6-4, 6-3. However, a foot injury forced her to retire against top seed Daria Kasatkina after losing the first set 6-1. That setback, coupled with a glute injury in 2022 that ended her semi-final run against Jelena Ostapenko, has given Raducanu a complex history with the tournament. “I trust my body a lot more now,” she said after her 2024 win over Yuan, reflecting on her ability to endure grueling matches. “Especially after not having played a lot of matches, to be able to churn out that kind of level twice now, having to back it up tomorrow and the next day without a day off, I’m looking forward to the challenge.” Her words reveal a newfound confidence, bolstered by her work with Roig and fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura.
Raducanu’s first-round opponent in 2025 is Jaqueline Cristian, a 27-year-old Romanian ranked world No. 43, marking their first-ever WTA Tour encounter. Cristian, enjoying a breakthrough season, reached the third round at the Australian Open and French Open, and won her maiden WTA 125 title in Puerto Vallarta. With a hard-court record of 22–17 and serve stats closely mirroring Raducanu’s (64.1% first-serve win percentage, 56.8% second-serve), the match promises to be a tight contest. Raducanu’s path doesn’t get easier, with a potential second-round clash against 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova and a projected quarter-final against world No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who’s making her Korea Open debut. “For me, it’s going to be a big challenge physically and tennis-wise, but at the same time I don’t have anything to lose,” Raducanu said in 2024, a mindset she’s likely carrying into this year’s tournament.
Seoul holds a special place for Raducanu, whose Chinese heritage through her mother, Renee, gives her a cultural connection to Asia. “I thrive in Asia,” she declared last year, citing her love for Korean food and the welcoming atmosphere. Her 2024 campaign saw her battle through a steamy 2-hour-43-minute win over Stearns, where she faced break points in nearly every service game but clinched victory in two tiebreaks. “I think my key to the success today was trying to let go of any frustration that happened,” she noted, a lesson she’s applied to her meticulous preparation this time around. Social media buzzed with images of her practicing with Lys, who advanced to the second round after defeating Ashlyn Krueger, setting up a clash with third seed Clara Tauson.
Raducanu’s decision to skip the Billie Jean King Cup, where she was set to join Katie Boulter, Jodie Burrage, and Sonay Kartal against Japan, has drawn scrutiny. Her former coach Mark Petchey defended her choice, saying, “When you look back at what she achieved on the clay against France, she proved that when she’s put up against it, she can produce the goods.” Currently ranked No. 34, Raducanu is fewer than 40 points from the top 32, a milestone that would ensure seeding at Grand Slams. Petchey emphasized this goal: “If I was Emma, I’d have three targets. Number one would be to get inside the top 32.”
As Seoul’s courts heat up, Raducanu’s training sessions signal her readiness to conquer past setbacks. The Korea Open, with its star-studded field including Swiatek, Amanda Anisimova, and defending champion Beatriz Haddad Maia, is a proving ground. For Raducanu, it’s not just about points—it’s about proving her resilience, silencing doubters, and embracing the Asian swing she loves. With every forehand and serve, she’s writing the next chapter of her comeback story, one that could shine brightly under Seoul’s bright lights.
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