Under the starlit sky of Rome’s Foro Italico, Emma Raducanu, Britain’s 22-year-old tennis prodigy, etched her name into the annals of the Italian Open with a hard-fought first-round triumph. Battling past Australian qualifier Maya Joint in a gripping 7-5, 6-7(1), 6-3 clash that spanned two hours and 44 minutes, Raducanu secured her first-ever win at the WTA 1000 event. Yet, it was the electric embrace of the Campo Centrale crowd that left her beaming, their cheers propelling her across the finish line in a match that tested her resolve. “The crowd and the support was amazing given it is almost 11 o’clock at night. I really felt it trying to cheer me on,” Raducanu told Sky Sports, her voice brimming with gratitude for the unexpected warmth from the Roman faithful.
Raducanu’s journey to this moment was anything but straightforward. Returning to Rome for only her second appearance after a back injury forced her to retire against Bianca Andreescu in 2022, the 2021 US Open champion faced a formidable challenge in Joint, a 19-year-old rising star ranked No. 78. The Australian, who has soared 606 spots in the rankings since January 2024, pushed Raducanu to her limits with relentless aggression. “I think the level was really high today. Maya played so aggressively and any time I dropped the ball just a tiny bit short, she was just all over it,” Raducanu said, praising her opponent’s tenacity. The match was a rollercoaster, with Raducanu clawing back from a 4-2 deficit in the first set to claim it 7-5, only to falter in a lopsided second-set tiebreak after squandering a 5-4 lead.
The turning point came during a crucial bathroom break before the deciding set. Raducanu, channeling the sting of potential defeat, emerged revitalized, racing to a 5-0 lead with a barrage of whipped forehands and pinpoint backhands. Though Joint mounted a spirited comeback, winning three consecutive games, Raducanu’s resolve held firm, sealing the victory with a punchy service game. “It was really difficult to play and then to close the match out was extremely hard,” she admitted, highlighting the mental fortitude that carried her through. The win, her first in Rome, was a testament to her growing confidence on clay, a surface where she’s still honing her craft. “It gives me a lot of confidence because it’s not just clay—it’s at night, it’s heavy,” she noted, referencing the challenging conditions of cold air and aging balls that slowed the court.
The crowd’s fervor was a surprise bonus. Known for rallying behind local players, the Roman fans instead lifted Raducanu, their applause echoing through the SuperTennis Arena as the clock neared midnight. This support, coupled with her aggressive playstyle under the guidance of temporary coach Mark Petchey, fueled her performance. Petchey, absent from her box due to commentary duties, earned a playful jab from Raducanu: “Petch, I think was on comms of my match, so I hope he was nice to me,” she laughed. Supported courtside by mentor Jane O’Donoghue, Raducanu’s victory underscored her evolving mindset, one she described as “optimistic” and “positive” before the tournament.
Now, Raducanu faces World No. 20 Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round, a familiar foe she’s split matches with in 2025. A deep run in Rome could see her overtake Katie Boulter as Britain’s No. 1, especially after Boulter’s first-round loss to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. With the French Open on the horizon, where Raducanu has no ranking points to defend, her Rome campaign is a chance to build momentum and climb from her current No. 49 ranking. As she navigates the red clay and Rome’s passionate crowds, Raducanu’s resilience and newfound aggression signal a player rediscovering her spark, ready to chase bigger dreams under the Italian stars.
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