CITI OPEN

August 3, 2022

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

E. RADUCANU/L. Chirico

6-4, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on your first-match win here in D.C. How did it feel?

EMMA RADUCANU: Thank you. Definitely feels really good to get a win here in D.C., and after not playing for quite a bit after Wimbledon or many matches at all this year, I think it's a really nice feeling, you know, just to get on the board.

I didn't necessarily think I played anything special. I didn't necessarily play like a wizard today, but I got through it and I fought, and that's all that matters.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You talked in the on-court interview about being nervous out there. I also noticed I think especially in the second set or both sets you were kind of frustrated a lot, looking over at your box. Were you frustrated with things you were doing or your opponent was doing? Would you call yourself a bit of a perfectionist? Looked like you were playing pretty well but you still seemed frustrated.

EMMA RADUCANU: I think I definitely had moments in the match today where I was playing good tennis, but I was nervous in the beginning, I think, for sure.

I think playing any first round is always pretty challenging. Then, you know, when you're not necessarily that match-sharp, you know, small things you don't necessarily get right. It's just important to, you know, stay calm.

I think that's something I can do better going forward in this tournament, hopefully in the next round, because, yeah, there were some moments I was slightly agitated, but I definitely regrouped and found a way through in the end.

Q. Dmitry is known for keeping things light and having a good sense of humor. Is that an energy he's brought to your team since joining it?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, he definitely has a good sense of humor, and he's definitely trying to make me take things easier on myself. I put a lot of emphasis on everything I do, and I want to do it the best of my abilities all the time.

You know, he's just slowly trying to shift me towards, If it's not perfect, it's okay. Like, If you shank one, it's okay. Just these sorts of things, and being more accepting of that.

Yeah, it definitely helped I think in today's match, because things weren't perfect. I wasn't playing amazing tennis, but I was accepting and I just, you know, fought through to the end.

Q. Because you said the word "wizard" and you're British, I have an obligatory question of which Harry Potter house, Hogwarts house you'd be in?

EMMA RADUCANU: I'd be in Slytherin, for sure.

Q. Why Slytherin?

EMMA RADUCANU: I just think that, you know, they haven't got a great rep, but I just think they are really, hmm, cool. But they have like super -- they're pretty, in a way, brutal, but -- I don't know. They have got a, just mysterious sort of side to them, and I like that.

Q. I was pretty sure you'd be a Ravenclaw. You like studying, you're good at stuff.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah (smiling).

Q. You had a couple delays coming in here, so I'm wondering how you're feeling physically after this match?

EMMA RADUCANU: Delays?

Q. Yeah, coming to press.

EMMA RADUCANU: Oh, right. Yeah, the physios were leaving, so I had to get a treatment in quickly, and, yeah, they did a good job. I actually had two blisters that they popped as well. That took a bit of time. And I had to shower and look good for you guys, so it took a bit of time (smiling).

Q. I imagine so much has happened to you in the past year. So now that you're launching into the North American hard court season, it's sort of maybe a calendar mark. Can you at all reflect on ways in which you feel wiser today than maybe this time 12 months ago, and any other reflections?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I think that I feel -- it's more I feel wiser now compared to, like, just after the US Open and the beginning of this year, because I think that no matter what I said, I probably did have, you know, certain expectations of myself that were probably a bit twisted.

And now I genuinely just accept it. Okay, it's not going to be pretty necessarily or easy, but I'm like 100% okay for starting over, to be honest. Like if my ranking plummets to like 1000 and whatever, then I don't care. I know that being a US Open champ I'm going to somehow pull my way back up there. It's going to take a bit of time maybe, but, yeah, I'm just really, you know, accepting of that and looking forward to whatever journey it takes.

Q. A question about Dua Lipa. Is she as cool as she seems?

EMMA RADUCANU: Dua Lipa? Yeah, she's a really cool person. She has great style, good character.

Yeah, it was a pretty long shoot day, but it went really fast with her. It was funny, for my dancing segment, I think the crew was like a hundred people or something. I had this thing like, I'm not going to dance. I was too scared to do it.

Then I basically kicked like 95 people out of the room, and they only kept the 5 that were there. I was like, You need this more than... (laughter).

That's how they got the shot. Eventually I think they cut it to like two seconds, but it was a really fun shoot.