Emma Raducanu in 5-word confession after debuting 'spontaneous' new partnership

Daily Mirror

4 hours ago

Emma Raducanu made her Queen's Club bow in a doubles match with a new partner - British No.1 Katie Boulter - as women's tennis returned to the venue for the first time in 52 years
Emma Raducanu confessed she was 'very nervous' before making her Queen's Club debut with doubles partner Katie Boulter after the British pair secured a 6-4 6-2 victory over Wu Fang-Hsien and Jiang Xinyu.
Raducanu had before this played doubles just once, partnering Clara Tauson in round one of the 2022 Washington Open, and alongside Boulter was fully backed by the home crowd on the packed and more intimate Court One.
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The WTA 500 event marks the first time in 52 years Queen's has hosted women's tennis, and while the pairing of British number one Boulter and number two Raducanu were not quite ready to submit their entries to Wimbledon, there were hugs and fist-pumps aplenty as they got their grass court seasons underway.
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'I was actually very nervous before the match,' said 2021 US Open champion Raducanu, who has been drawn against a to be determined qualifier for her opening singles match. 'I don't know if you could tell, but, yeah, probably more nervous than the singles, because I just didn't necessarily know what to do.
'I'm really happy once we got out there, Katie made me feel so comfortable, and I'm just so pleased to get a win.'
This Queen's partnership, Raducanu revealed, came 'spontaneously', after a few close calls where she and Boulter nearly joined forces at Madrid, Paris and Miami.
Asked it could extend as far as Wimbledon, Raducanu replied: 'We haven't spoken about it. It worked pretty well, so we're just going to keep on trying to do as best we can this week.'
Boulter joked: 'Scrap what she said – we're going for the Wimbledon title! No, I'm just kidding.'
The British pair claimed an early break in the first set and extended their lead to 4-2 before Wu and Jiang drew level at 4-4. Boulter and Raducanu broke back and eventually claimed the opening set, converting their second set point. Momentum in their favour, the Britons made quicker work of the pair from China and Chinese Taipei in the second set, sealed emphatically by Raducanu's volley.
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Fans on social media were quick to complain that the match was not available to watch in full on the BBC, who did occasionally cut to the British pair but focused on the action on the newly-christened Andy Murray Arena, where the three-time grand slam winner was honoured in a morning ceremony.
The PA news agency understands contractual considerations between a number of stakeholders – including the WTA and LTA – contributed to the contest being held on the smaller court.
Raducanu did not mind the venue, adding: 'I think sometimes on the smaller courts you get a bigger feel for the match, the atmosphere and the environment, because it's a lot closer, more intimate, and you hear the support more.
'For me, I love playing on those smaller, outside courts where you really feel the support and the crowd gets into it. I was filling my bottle up, and I was literally having a chat in the stands because that's how close it is.'
Elsewhere, British number three Sonay Kartal got her singles campaign off to a winning start with a 6-1 3-6 6-3 victory over Australia 's world number 16 Daria Kasatkina.