MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 21, 2025

Emma Raducanu

Press Conference

E. RADUCANU/E. Navarro

7-6, 2-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Emma, well done. Big win out there. What are your feelings right now?

EMMA RADUCANU: Thank you. I'm really pleased to have come through that. It was a really difficult match, both physically, mentally, tennis-wise. Playing Emma, she's such a tough opponent, and I had to win the match because, yeah, she moves so well, she's aggressive and does everything really well.

So I'm really proud of how I competed and came back.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Do you feel like you're playing a mirror image of yourself when you play Emma? You're so similar in many ways, including your name. And your reaction at the end of that victory, almost like you won the US Open except not falling on the floor. Talk about the emotions after winning such a great match.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, it's funny. We are very similar I think in the way that we play. She moves very well, is very aggressive. But we're both pretty good athletes, I would say.

Today was quite, it was quite difficult conditions. It got a bit hot, as well. Yeah, I'm not sure. I had to kind of just find a way to fight and survive, especially when I was down in the third set.

Yeah, it was a lot of emotions when I won. I know I won the US Open, but I think having been through so much in the last few years, it's like the wins now mean so much more.

Q. First of all, I wanted to know what this whirlwind has been for you. A month ago you had that very emotional situation in Dubai. Now you get one of the biggest wins of your career, and you're smiling from ear to ear at the end of the match. Talk us through how you're feeling after that.

EMMA RADUCANU: Yeah, I don't think it's been an easy couple of months. I have had a lot going on on and off the court.

I think my goal is to just get to a place where I feel a lot more set and stable with my surroundings. This week I have amazing people who have known me for a very long time. I feel very secure and happy and wanting to fight for them, as well.

It's a really nice feeling. It has been quite emotional, and, you know, it's taken a lot out of me. But I'm just so happy to be, like, fighting here, and all the wins here just give me extra fuel, extra energy.

Q. Did I hear you say that this maybe meant more to you than winning the US Open?

EMMA RADUCANU: Well, I mean, I would say not necessarily more in terms of magnitude, but I would say emotionally, just a lot more aware of all of the suffering as well, because, you know, when I won the US Open, I just won 10 matches in straight sets. It was, I mean, I didn't have, like, the losses, the downs, the months of, like, losing streaks.

I think to come out of it now, it does, yeah, I'd say it means a lot more than certain matches at the US Open, yeah.

Q. She has played more three-set matches, won more three-set matches in the last couple of years than anybody. Did you know that? What was in you that got you through at the end?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think I knew that going in, because I kept seeing, like, these things of where she kind of turned the score around from 5-3 down in the third set or, you know, down in the third quite a few times, and throughout Australia, throughout, you know, last week as well in Indian Wells.

So I knew that I was going to have to win every single point. It was very difficult, because I was serving for it at 5-3, and then Emma played amazing tennis, as well. Then again, I was Love-30 on her serve at 5-4, and she pretty much played like four unbelievable points.

It was very difficult, and it's never easy when you have the lead and it then gets back level to not let it affect you mentally and be, like, Oh, I had a chance. Just try and stay zoned in on the point ahead of you.

I knew that. I knew she was a tough competitor. I was just happy that I was able to do the same today.

Q. It was a long match and a really intense one, as well. People use this expression, "Leave everything on the court." Is that the case? Any energy left at all there? How do you think the recovery is going to have to be handled?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, today I completely left everything on the court. I think there were moments in the third set I thought I was completely down, completely out. I didn't see a way back from it, to be honest, physically.

But then I managed to, I don't know where, find a source of energy from, and I think I was running on adrenaline. The back end of the third set, almost three hours in, it was very physical, the points were so long and bouncy and a lot of moving and covering the court.

Yeah, she got so many balls back. I mean, I had to win every single point out there. She didn't really give me anything. I'm really proud of how I fought.

Q. Can I ask you your thoughts on the big news story of the week, about the PTPA legal action and whether you're in broad support or against it?

EMMA RADUCANU: I actually have no idea what is going on, because I haven't been really on Instagram or on my phone. Yeah, just trying to keep my circle really tight and just stay focused.

Q. If you could change one thing in tennis, what would that be from a player's point of view?

EMMA RADUCANU: I'm not sure. Like, certain matches maybe starting a bit earlier rather than, like, sometimes going on super late is difficult.

Q. I mean, the three issues are about prize money, length of season, and the balls used. Do you have any thoughts on any of those?

EMMA RADUCANU: I would say the balls. I'd say it's difficult switching, you know, conditions and stuff. But in a way, I think it's difficult for -- you know, I have had wrist issues, for sure, and heavy balls don't necessarily help that.

But at the same time, I think it's good that there's differences and it's not just, like, one type of ball suits a certain type of player, that they can kind of dominate throughout the season.

I think it brings a bit of variability. I like certain balls that someone else might not like, and it might help me in a match. So I think in a way, barring maybe the injury part, I think it adds a bit of excitement and unpredictability to it.

Q. You were just saying about leaving everything on the court today and all you've done. I know you just touched on the recovery, but this is only one step and there is still a lot more to play for. What do you do to just bring yourself maybe down a little bit, maybe relax and get ready for what's still to come, there is still another match and another match? How do you focus on that? Do you look too far ahead, also?

EMMA RADUCANU: No, I mean, it's difficult. I think it's amazing that we get a day in between, to be honest. I think it helps so much with the recovery.

I'm quite a big fan of these longer events, just because it gives us time to recover, especially, you know, by the time we finish everything, press, treatment, eating, by the time we get back and I'm second on, I'll be home, like, 9:00 p.m., I think it's great that I have a day off to recover.

I think this week I have been trying to keep it more relaxed, I would say, not necessarily being in the zone 100% of the time. Just, like, I'm learning how to throw an American football, so that has become my warmup.

So the first 30 minutes of my warmup is like sports day. It's like American football, football, and then cornhole, and then, depending, either maybe some golf or something, like kick Frisbee.

That's, like, been keeping me entertained, but it's also a great pulse raiser, because I find it easier to put more effort in when we're playing American football and running to catch it rather than running in a straight line. It's a lot more fun.

Q. What are you best at?

EMMA RADUCANU: Actually, I think I have been learning how to throw an American football pretty well this week. My trainer has been teaching me, because yeah, he's lived in America and knows how to throw it really well. I have just been working on tightening the spiral a little bit. (Laughter.)

Q. The Dolphins can use you.

EMMA RADUCANU: No (smiling).

Q. Congratulations on the win. You were able to play super aggressively on the big points, go after your forehand. What do you think really made the difference in the big moments? Was it your bravery and your ability to step in? Was that some of the best you have every played on your forehand in a while?

EMMA RADUCANU: I think there were patches in the match, I think certain moments I was too defensive, and then I was running, and then I think in the big moments in the third set and also in the tiebreak in the first, I really kind of went for the shots.

I don't know, at 6-All in both of those sets, I actually was just, like, if I'm going to go out, like, I'm not going to let her take me out. At least I'll put everything on it.

I know that's how I'm most successful is when I'm taking the shots early and really going for it, and it's just a better feeling in a way to not have any regrets, like, Oh, maybe I could have gone for that shot a little bit more.

Even when I was going for it and missing certain drive volleys, for example, in big moments after a very long point, as frustrating as it is, I knew I was doing the right thing, and that's why I was also getting rewarded for certain points.

Q. I don't know if you followed the tribulations in golf in the last couple of years. Do you think that things could lead to some sort of schism in tennis?

EMMA RADUCANU: I have no idea what's going on in golf, either. Sorry. I'm sorry. Just that my friend plays golf and she's really good (smiling).