Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, opened her 2025 Asian swing in style with a battling victory at the Korea Open, earning a valuable boost in the WTA rankings. The 22-year-old British No. 1 edged past American Peyton Stearns in a grueling first-round clash in Seoul, winning 7-6(4), 7-6(5) after two hours and 43 minutes of high-pressure tennis. The result lifts Raducanu one place to No. 32 in the WTA Live Rankings, overtaking Wang Xinyu, and strengthens her push toward a seeded position at the 2026 Australian Open.
The WTA 500 event posed a stern opening test. Raducanu raced to a 4-1 lead with her sharp baseline play and trademark backhand, but Stearns, ranked No. 48, refused to fold, dragging the set into a tiebreak that the Briton coolly sealed. The second set followed a similar pattern—Raducanu served for the match at 5-3 but was broken before regrouping to close it out in another tense breaker. “I’m proud to have made it through to the next round,” she said. “It was tough, very humid, the balls were bouncing a lot. The support from the crowd really helped.” Her composure in sweltering conditions underlined her growing resilience.
The win arrives at a pivotal moment in Raducanu’s career. Since her stunning New York triumph, injuries and surgeries in 2023 saw her slide to No. 83, but 2025 has brought signs of resurgence. A semi-final run in Washington, a last-16 appearance at Wimbledon, and close battles with top names like Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati have pushed her ranking back toward the top 30. With only 108 points to defend from her 2022 semi-final in Seoul, the Korea Open presents a golden chance to climb further. “I haven’t played many matches lately, and Peyton is a really good player in strong form, so I’m pretty pleased,” Raducanu admitted.
Her decision to focus on Seoul rather than the Billie Jean King Cup Finals drew some criticism, but under new coach Francisco Roig—longtime mentor to Rafael Nadal—Raducanu is intent on building consistency and confidence on the WTA Tour. Her next opponent, eighth seed Yue Yuan, world No. 40 and last year’s finalist in Seoul, promises another stern challenge. “It was a tough match to get through,” Raducanu reflected, mindful of what lies ahead. A deep run this week could edge her closer to the top 30, a significant milestone on her comeback path.
The tournament itself has not been without drama. Rain delays disrupted scheduling, with Raducanu’s opener against Jaqueline Cristian scrapped and replaced by Stearns. Yet the Briton’s composure stood out, a contrast to her 2022 campaign in Seoul when injury forced her retirement in the semi-finals. Now, with Roig’s guidance sharpening her technique and tactical edge, she looks primed to seize this opportunity. Fans are buzzing with optimism, with one remarking online: “Emma’s backhand is world-class again—she’s got the fire to go deep here.”
With stars like Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova also in the draw, the competition remains fierce, but Raducanu’s focus is clear: steady progress and upward momentum. Her Seoul victory is more than just a first-round win—it’s a statement of intent, a sign that she’s ready to re-establish herself among the game’s elite and prove the doubters wrong.
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