Emma Raducanu breaks down in tears during Korea Open win after skipping Billie Jean King Cup
Britain's No. 1 reached the Korea Open second round amid torrential rain and controversy over her decision to prioritise the Asian swing over national duty
Emma Raducanu became visibly emotional on court during her first-round victory at the Korea Open on Wednesday, a match that followed criticism after she withdrew from Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup squad to continue her Asian swing.
Raducanu, the British No. 1 and world No. 33, beat Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian, ranked 41st, in straight sets after play was repeatedly delayed by heavy rain and standing water on the Seoul courts. The 22-year-old rallied through a difficult opening set during which she was seen in tears before recovering to close out the match.
Raducanu did not explain the reason for her emotional moment after the match but said she was relieved to have come through a tricky contest. "I'm super happy to have won. It hasn't been easy," she said. "I feel like I've played this match the last three days. To have pulled through after waiting, I'm super pleased at how I came through. Jaqueline is a really tough opponent and has had great results recently. (They were) tough conditions, very slow, long rallies and long points, so happy to have got through. A big thank you to everyone who came out here and supported through the rain. Thank you to everyone."
The match came amid controversy over Raducanu's decision to skip the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Shenzhen, China. Raducanu had been selected by Great Britain captain Anne Keothavong but pulled out shortly before the team’s clash with Japan, opting instead to play events in Asia as she seeks to bolster ranking points ahead of next year’s Australian Open.
Keothavong expressed disappointment at Raducanu's withdrawal but said her focus remained on the players available. "It's obviously disappointing, but I do want the main focus to be on the players I have and the challenge we have ahead," Keothavong said. She called up Raducanu's friend Fran Jones to join Katie Boulter, Sonay Kartal and Jodie Burrage for the finals. "Players will make decisions they feel is in their best interest, but my focus is just on this team. We take a huge amount of pride in this competition and we do want to be world champions."
Raducanu has a recent history in the team competition: she helped Great Britain reach the semifinals in Malaga last year but did not participate in the spring qualifiers against Germany and the Netherlands, citing tour commitments. Her decision to concentrate on the Asian swing aligns with a stated aim to improve her ranking and form ahead of the Australian Open.
On-court scenes of Raducanu in tears revived memories of a distressing incident earlier this year in Dubai, when a man exhibiting fixated behaviour approached her and handed her a letter. She was temporarily forced to move behind the umpire's chair during that match. Authorities subsequently secured a restraining order and later arrested the individual after he attempted to obtain Wimbledon tickets despite being banned from the tournament.
Raducanu will face a tougher test in the last 16, where she is scheduled to meet No. 8 seed Barbora Krejcikova, a former Grand Slam singles champion, on the tournament’s centre court. The match is expected to draw attention given Raducanu’s recent form and the ongoing scrutiny over her national-team decision.
Tournament organisers in Seoul dealt with extended delays on Tuesday and Wednesday as grounds crews cleared standing water, leading to a backlog of matches across the schedule. Raducanu’s win moves her deeper into the Seoul draw as she continues to balance tour objectives with questions about her participation in team events for Britain.