THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 7, 2024

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

L. SUN/E. Raducanu

6-2, 5-7, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Emma, tough match today. Give us your thoughts.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, it was a difficult match. I think Lulu played really good tennis today. I think that I gave my best, I fought really hard. Yeah, I think today her tennis was better and deserved the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Can you tell us about your physicality. Was the wrist at all an issue? Were you feeling your back before you fell? How did the fall affect you?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I mean, I've been managing a stiff back since yesterday. I think it was just exaggerated today, I'd say. I was feeling it during the match. I think especially on serve it was affecting me a bit.

But I think, I mean, I gave everything I had on the day. I just need to take the lessons that I can from it, watch it back, yeah, improve and keep going.

Q. With the wrist, was it yesterday you started feeling it? Are you concerned at all, having had the surgery?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I just woke up yesterday with a bit of stiff wrist. With the balls being quite heavy in the grass, it's just something that I have to manage. I've been playing on the grass for quite a few weeks now. I think I just had to prioritize my singles.

Q. The mixed doubles, how difficult it was to make that decision to pull out yesterday. With the easy benefit of hindsight now, was it a mistake to accept the invitation?

EMMA RADUCANU: I don't think it was a mistake because I was feeling fine, then yesterday morning just woke up with stiffness. I have to prioritize myself, my singles and my body.

I think it was the right decision. I stand by the decision. Yeah, obviously it was a tough decision, though, because it's something that I've always wanted to do.

Q. What positives would you take from this week?

EMMA RADUCANU: I mean, I beat two top-10 players within two weeks, which is a pretty big deal for me, seeing as the whole US Open even I didn't play one top-10 player. I think I have to take confidence from that.

Six months ago when I was starting out after surgery, I would have signed for fourth round at Wimbledon. Of course I'm disappointed. Of course I want more. I think everything does happen for a reason. It just, yeah, fuels the fire and makes me more hungry.

Q. Back to the mixed doubles. What was it like to tell Andy you were pulling out? How did he take it?

EMMA RADUCANU: It was a very difficult decision. Of course, I didn't want to take his last match away from him. But at the end of the day I think a lot of the players in a similar situation would have done the same thing, prioritizing their body.

Yeah, I still stand by making the right call.

Q. How did he take it? How was he?

EMMA RADUCANU: I mean, obviously disappointed because it's his last match. But, yeah, what a champion. I think that hopefully he'll play in the Olympics and have another farewell there.

Q. About the decision to pull out of the mixed doubles caused a lot of debate online, including unfortunately some trolling. Did that play on your mind today?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think with every decision, people are entitled to their opinions. Of course, there was a bit of a cloud around the decision.

I don't think I would have done it any other way. I think in this sport especially, as an individual, you have to make your own calls and prioritize yourself. Especially with my history, I just had to put myself first.

Q. Were you surprised by Judy Murray's reaction on Twitter? Will you look to speak to her behind closed doors?

EMMA RADUCANU: I haven't seen her reaction, so I don't know.

Q. She was being sarcastic on social media from a very emotional perspective when you had to pull out of the mixed doubles.

EMMA RADUCANU: What was she sarcastic?

Q. Said it was astonishing.

EMMA RADUCANU: I'm sure she didn't mean it.

Q. When you sort of agreed to play with Andy, did you consider, Maybe if I go far in singles, I might have to pull out? Did any of your team bring that up either with yourself or Andy?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I mean, I think going into the tournament, I wasn't expecting to make fourth round. So for me it was a no-brainer. I would have loved to have played.

He didn't ask me, If you're still in the singles, are you going to play? That was never a question to be answered.

Given how I woke up yesterday morning, it was for me a no-brainer.

Q. Given the run that you've just had in Wimbledon, would you delay your decision on going to Oxford University?

EMMA RADUCANU: I mean, I wish (laughter). I don't know. That's taken me by surprise.

I'm very much focused on my professional tennis career. Once that's over maybe or once I have more disposition or more time, that's for sure something I would love to explore. For now I'm very much focused on the tennis.

Q. What was it you thought that Lulu did so well today?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, she was very aggressive. She took the ball on. I think playing a lefty is challenging. It's something that I haven't really played against or trained against. I think that going forward, it's something I probably need to incorporate more.

But yeah, credit to her. She played really well. Obviously is swinging really freely.

Q. When you play somebody like Sakkari, you often say in advance it's a bit of a free swing. Was it the opposite because her ranking is not high, she hasn't been here before?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, honestly I went into this match expecting a tougher match, to be honest. Level-wise, I think she's playing better than all my previous opponents. I think I went into this very much aware of that.

Yeah, she lived up to it. She was swinging, she was playing aggressive. Yeah, just with her abilities and also she just kept swinging and making the ball. I think credit to her for doing that.

Yeah, see how it goes the rest of the tournament.

Q. You said you didn't expect to be in the fourth round. What do you take from the whole week?

EMMA RADUCANU: I take for sure that there are areas I need to keep improving. I think certain things I have been doing better over the grass court season. I think I improved a few things. My serve got better. I think I need to just work on the consistency of it, like being good every day not just like some days.

Honestly, it just makes me more determined. I think I really put myself first in the last few weeks, few months. Tennis is the only thing that is really occupying my time, my mind. It's all I want to do really.

I think that that desire and fire is back. I just want to keep building on that.

Q. With that in mind, what's next for you? How do you see your summer playing out?

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I'm going to go to the States, start in D.C., and get on the hard courts. I think I'll take a few days off just to freshen up with the body, freshen up. Obviously it's an intense period on the grass.

I feel good about things going forwards. I feel optimistic. I think that today, as bitter as it is to take, I think it happened for a reason. You don't want things to happen too easily and too quickly. Well, I had that before. I don't necessarily want just a massive spike (smiling).

I think I'm just working there, tracking in the right direction. Yeah, I'll just start off in D.C. and go from there.