ROLAND GARROS

May 23, 2022

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

E. RADUCANU/L. Noskova

6-7, 7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: A tough opponent in your first round. You dropped the first set but you turned it around. What made the difference today?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it was definitely a tough match. I think that Linda is a great opponent. You know, she qualified, and she's playing some great tennis. She's on great form on these courts in these conditions. You know, qualifiers, they are dangerous.

It's definitely a tough match to get through, and I'm really, really happy with the way that I regrouped after losing a set 7-6, which is always tough, having had some chances.

But, yeah, to fight back, I was really pleased.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. I know it maybe didn't feel like fun during the second set, but when you look back at that experience playing your first match here, do you enjoy a match like that and that experience out there in front of a sort of raucous crowd?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I enjoyed it. I mean, the crowd was -- actually, it was like switching. So in the beginning I thought it was a lot for me and then towards the second and third set, she was getting a lot more. I didn't actually mind that, to be honest, because I just loved the atmosphere. The French crowd is definitely very honest, but it was fun to play in front of. They just wanted Benoit to get on (smiling).

It was definitely a fun atmosphere to play in front of, and I'm happy that I get another chance to.

Q. On that note, I saw you go over and high five someone at the end and I wonder who that might have been and what was going on there.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, I was so surprised to see him, actually. He was at every single match in the US Open. Then he went to Indian Wells, as well, a few weeks after. I haven't seen him since. To see him here was pretty something.

Yeah, he was just getting behind me every single match. Yeah, it's really nice to see him here.

Q. This is the first time you have played someone younger than you at tour level. I know it's not something, you're probably not thinking of during a match, but what's it like to be the player with more experience? That's been the complete opposite of your experience on tour so far.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it definitely is different. You know, on the match court, I was just thinking, you know, of whatever experience I have kind of gained on the tour, and I know she's new to the tour, but in a way, that sort of helps if when you are brand new you're just swinging, you're free, and I think she definitely was doing that.

Yeah, I knew that if I, you know, got through some really tough moments in the second set, it might get to her. And I think in the third set I definitely was able to kind of keep pushing, keep pushing. Eventually just I was dominating more and more.

Yeah, I was pretty pleased. Physically, you know, I think I was really good out there. I lasted the whole three sets. I was really good. I was also thinking I'm going to outcompete her.

Q. In terms of the decisions that you make about your career, both on and off the court, how important is it for you to feel like you're the master of your own destiny?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think that is definitely a good point. I mean, I make a lot of my own decisions. I'm pretty strong-minded and stubborn, I'd say, when it comes to it. When it's something that I really believe in, then I definitely, you know, don't hold back. I really just have had tunnel vision in that sense.

But I always take advice from everyone, and I always ask for people's opinions and point of views, because they might be seeing something that I'm not. Then it's just up to me to filter and use what I want to.

Q. You're young. You use a lot of the social media. You got a lot of new things after the US Open. How do you deal with all the messages that you can receive after games that are sometimes not very pleasing to read?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, I'm sure it happens a lot. Not just to me. To everyone. You know, it's just something that's part of the sport.

But I personally don't really read my comments on social media, because, you know, you could have millions of people, thousands of people commenting great things, but, you know, maybe the one bad one will stick in your mind. So I personally don't look at my comments.

Q. On what you were saying about your physicality being good today, obviously you had the back trouble and then before that you said several times, I need to build my stamina. Do you think that you're kind of getting to the point where it's up to scratch for this level of the tour?

EMMA RADUCANU: Well, I think that it is definitely improving. One thing that I have been doing in the lead-up for this week and the whole of last week, I was doing a lot in the gym, a lot before practice, after practice, just keeping all the muscles fired up. It's something I probably haven't really done before, train through tournaments.

Yeah, I am pretty pleased with how I was out there physically, and I feel really good, to be honest.

Q. You were so new last year and so few people had seen you play. Do you notice players sort of doing similar things against you now that there is more information about you, video, things like that, that they have sort of gone to school on you somewhat? Are you trying to counteract that?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think definitely players, you know, they kind of know more about me, and they would have seen me play more so. Whereas last year maybe if I was just a random qualifier, they wouldn't have put as much research or looking at me, how I would play.

To counteract that, I'm always looking to improve in all sorts of aspects. I think, as I said, one was definitely physically just to be able to last in the longer points, especially on the clay courts.

But also just, you know, adding elements of unpredictability in whatever way that may be.

Q. You have now played in the main draw of all four of the major slams. Any similarities, any differences? What sort of strikes you, having played in all the four countries?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it's interesting how different it is, to be honest. I think that the French Open, I'd say it gives me similar vibes to the US Open just because of the crowd and just how involved they get. It's a complete contrast to Wimbledon where it's dead silent. You can actually hear a pin drop before you serve. It's incredible.

It definitely took some getting used to, but when I went out there today, I was honestly just enjoying it, and I don't take any of anything personally, really. You can actually say anything to me. So when I was on the court and you get people shouting things it didn't really affect me at all.

Q. On playing Noskova and with her arsenal and firepower through especially the first two sets, you're a player who likes to be in control, especially from the baseline, cracking winners, what was it kind of like to not be necessarily the player that was fully in control all the time in those rallies? What did you think was the difference in terms of flipping that into where in the third set you were?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think that Noskova, well, she's pretty young, but she's definitely powerful. You know, she hits the ball extremely hard. I was finding as soon as I was dropping my ball short she was all over me. I think especially in the first set the conditions were really heavy, because it was actually raining pretty hard.

So my balls weren't really doing much on the court. Then in the second set, I was a set and a break down, and I was thinking, you've got to change something. I knew that early on in the match I got success when I was just keeping her off balance, but she kind of played her way into the match a little bit.

Then I just thought, you know, you've got to go out doing something. So I started hitting the ball much better, I think, and keeping her off-balance. You know, she was definitely hitting some great shots. Even on the run on her backhand wide she was hitting the line so well.

But I think I just found a better way. In the third set I was serving a lot better, as well, so I was starting the point better on the upper hand.

Q. Just with the weather, it must have been slippery and you had the rain in your eye when you were looking up. Were you surprised you played on through? It was quite wet, wasn't it?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, definitely. It was really wet. I was actually quite surprised that we stayed on there. It was quite slippery at the baseline and I just wanted to be extra cautious. I didn't want to take any risks.

It was quite a strange match, because in the beginning it was chucking it down, and then in the third set it was like blue skies. You kind of need to adjust for looking up to the ball, and it was fine in the end. It's all part of it. It was the same for her as well, and it's just about who kind of deals with it better.