Emma Raducanu raced past Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara, earning her first match win at the US Open since her miraculous title run in 2021. The dominant display, completed in just one hour and three minutes, also marked the Briton’s quickest win at a Grand Slam tournament.
Facing world No. 128 Shibahara in Sunday’s opener, Raducanu wasted little time asserting control. Dressed in the red Nike Fall Slam Tank paired with a burgundy skirt from the New York collection, she broke serve twice in each set, never allowed her own delivery to be threatened, and closed out the match with a love hold. For the 22-year-old, it was not only a long-awaited return to the winner’s circle in New York, but also a reminder of the form that once carried her to a historic championship as a teenager.
The victory carried extra meaning given her struggles in recent years at the tournament. After her breakthrough title, Raducanu fell in the opening round in 2022 and 2024, and missed the 2023 event while recovering from multiple surgeries. She admitted before the event that the pressure of returning to New York had weighed heavily on her in the past.
Her next challenge comes against another qualifier, world No. 149 Janice Tjen of Indonesia. The 23-year-old scored one of the biggest surprises of the opening round by ousting 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova. The matchup will be the first meeting between Raducanu and Tjen. (source: Tennis World USA)
