DC Open: Raducanu Pleased To Be Healthy, Enjoying Tennis Again

Emma Raducanu, Washington, DC Citi Open
Emma Raducanu (photo: Ben Solomon/Mubadala Citi DC Open)

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

As the 55th edition of the Mubadala Citi DC Open, Washington’s annual summer bonanza of tennis in the nation’s capital city, began at Rock Creek Park on Monday, it became apparent that this year’s ATP/WTA 500-series combined event for many players served as a welcome alternative to the Paris Olympics.

Take for instance Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who, at age 21, has become one of the bright faces and talents — not only for British tennis but also for the entire WTA Tour — since unexpectedly winning the 2021 US Open title.

The 89th-ranked Raducanu, who entered the Washington event with a wild card, was featured on Opening Night of the DC Open against eighth seed Elise Mertens of Belgium in the 7,500-seat William R Morris Jr. Memorial Stadium Court at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center. There was no place in the world she would rather be — win or lose.

Raducanu won, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, in two hours and 24 minutes, but had to produce some spectacular tennis to garner her 10th Top 50 win of the season. She hit seven aces and 29 winners overall, which helped offset 47 unforced errors. Raducanu broke her opponent six times in 13 opportunities and outpointed her 102-88.

“I love D.C. because some parts of it remind of me of England, I’d say, with the forest right behind. I really like green. For me it feels really comforting,” Raducanu expressed, during her pre-tournament news conference Saturday.

In a normal year, players like Raducanu transition to hard courts once the grass season ends at Wimbledon. However, the Olympic event in Paris is being played on clay at Roland-Garros. It’s a reason why many players declined the opportunity to compete for medals on the world stage and skipped going back to clay. They wanted to get acclimated to North American hard courts — and the heat and humidity — as soon as possible with the US Open looming large in the coming weeks.

Temperatures reached 92 degrees Fahrenheit by mid-afternoon Monday and play was interrupted for a spell due to lightening in the area coupled with some light rain. Later on, there was a lengthier rain delay that pushed back the start of Raducanu’s match until almost 9 p.m.

When Raducanu was asked whether it was a difficult decision to bypass the Paris Olympics to come to Washington, which offered valuable ranking points and prize money, she stated it was important to her to stay on one surface.

“The change of surface isn’t the best thing for me right now. In the future, maybe it would have been,” said Raducanu, who has compiled a 15-10 win-loss record this season on the WTA Tour and has avoided injuries, which have plagued her since winning the US Open in 2021 as a qualifier.

“At this moment in time, I think switching to clay straight after grass, it’s such a big contrast, then back onto the hard courts, I didn’t want to risk anything. For me this option was just a lot better.

“Of course, there are elements of FOMO – missing out. Watching the Olympic ceremony, everybody in the team kits, a part of you obviously wants to be there and representing your country.

“I think when I think big picture, long-term, it’s the right call.”

After making her much-anticipated Washington debut in 2022, in which she reached the quarterfinal round, Raducanu was absent from last year’s tournament due to recovering from injuries that curtailed much of her season. Now she’s optimistic for what lies ahead.

“I think I have made good strides in my game over the last few months,” said Raducanu, who reached the fourth round of Wimbledon after reaching the semifinals at Nottingham and quarterfinals at Eastbourne. “I started the grass season ranked outside of 200 and finished it in the top 100. For me that was relatively successful. It guaranteed me a spot hopefully in the main draw of the US Open. That was a big thing for me. I wanted to make sure I got into the slams.”

After defeating Mertens in a character-building first-round tussle, Raducanu will face either American wild card Clervie Ngounoue or Peyton Stearns of the United States, who play Tuesday, in the second round.

“I think, compared to a year ago, this time a year ago I hadn’t been touching tennis balls. I was in China actually, which was great. I got to see my family for a good month. Yeah, I didn’t touch a tennis ball until late November really.

“I had, like, one week hitting sponge balls in August, then stopped because I had setbacks. Didn’t pick another one up till late November, December,” Raducanu recalled.

“Yeah, I’m very pleased to be in the place that I am, competing, healthy, just enjoying my tennis.”

Players from banned nations at Olympics find home in Washington 

This year’s Mubadala Citi DC Open field includes several players from nations that have been banned from the Paris Olympics over their involvement in the war in Ukraine and could only compete as neutral athletes. They include men’s top seed Andrey Rublev of Russia, women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, women’s 2022 champion Liudmila Samsonova of Russia and men’s third seed Karen Khachanov of Russia.

Additionally, there’s Aslan Karatsev, No. 2 seed Daria Kasatkina, No. 7 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Anastasia Potapova of Russia and No. 6 seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus.

Around the Mubadala Citi DC Open

Among the men’s first-round winners Monday were: Daniel Elahi Galan of Columbia, Cristian Garin of Chile, Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland, Reilly Opelka of the United States, David Goffin of Belgium, Mattia Bellucci of Italy, qualifier Seong Chan Hong of South Korea, wild card Denis Shapovalov of Canada, wild card J.J. Wolf of the United States and Christopher O’Connell of Australia.

Among the women’s first-round winners Monday were: No. 7 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, American Amanda Anisimova, Caroline Dolehide and Robin Montgomery of the United States and Wang Yafan of China.

Monday’s ATP results

Monday’s WTA results

Tuesday’s order of play

By the numbers

It has been 17 years since an American man lifted the Washington title, when Andy Roddick defeated John Isner in 2007. However, there are 11 Americans among the 48-player draw, including seeds Ben Shelton (2), Sebastian Korda (4), Frances Tiafoe (5), Brandon Nakashima (13) and Alex Michelsen (15), chasing after this year’s title.

The other Americans include: qualifiers Maxime Cressy and Mitchell Krueger; wild cards Reilly Opelka and J.J. Wolf; and Aleksandar Kovacevic and Mackenzie McDonald. Wolf advanced to the second round on Monday, while Cressy and McDonald lost.

“Quotable …”

• “Well, my decision was I said it right when the list came out that I was going to play here. I’m not going to change surface that quickly, like from grass to clay, then next Toronto hard court. For my back was not the best. I have to prioritize my health.

“Also, for the protected rankings I had to choose in that moment. My ranking wasn’t great, so I had to choose that or the US Open. I prefer choosing on a tournament that gives me points. That was a little bit my decision.

“Of course, it’s a shame I cannot play Olympics. The conditions are what it was. So I have to prioritize my back in that case.”

— Paula Badosa of Spain, during her pre-tournament news conference, on her decision to skip the Paris Olympic Games to prioritize her health.

• “It’s not easy to be playing this late. I’m very pleased. I love this tournament and I just want to continue here. Getting through first rounds is always very difficult. First rounds are all about getting through them and trying to find a way to work your way into the tournament. I’m very proud of that. I think I played some pretty good tennis, too. … I’m most proud of my mentality and character today.”

— Emma Raducanu of Great Britain, during her on-court interview, following her late-night first-round win.

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