“I love playing on grass”: Emma Raducanu makes strong start at Queen’s Club

Emma Raducanu made an impressive start to her grass-court season at the Queen’s Club Championships, defeating Anna Blinkova 6-0, 6-3 to reach the second round in London. Playing on the Andy Murray Arena, the British star conceded only three games and produced one of her most complete performances of the season in front of a home crowd.

The victory sends Raducanu into the Round of 16, where she will face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. The meeting carries additional significance given their recent encounter in the final of the Transylvania Open, where Cirstea defeated Raducanu to claim the title. This time, however, Raducanu will have home support behind her as she looks for a measure of revenge.

Currently ranked World No. 42, Raducanu arrived at Queen’s Club defending quarter-final points from her run at the tournament last year. A victory against Cirstea would allow her to protect those points and avoid slipping in the rankings while continuing her pursuit of a Wimbledon seeding.

The 2021 US Open champion also returned to court later in the day in doubles alongside fellow Briton Katie Boulter. The pair were beaten by fourth seeds Shuai Zhang and Storm Hunter 6-4, 3-6, [10-5], but Raducanu's primary focus remains her singles campaign as Wimbledon approaches in less than three weeks.

After a clay-court swing disrupted by physical setbacks and limited match play, Raducanu appeared comfortable from the opening exchanges against Blinkova. She raced through the first set without dropping a game and maintained control throughout the second, displaying clean ball-striking and confident movement.

The Briton acknowledged that recent weeks of preparation had begun to show tangible results. Rather than pointing to a specific adjustment, she credited the cumulative effect of consistent work with coach Andrew Richardson and her wider team, emphasizing patience throughout the process.

"We've been working day in, day out since I started training again and even throughout the clay season we've been working and putting good shifts in each day. You don't know when it's going to pay off and I think it's just work that's compounded over the last few weeks."

Raducanu repeatedly highlighted the freedom she felt on court, describing a mindset that allowed her to play naturally instead of overthinking situations. That approach was evident in a performance that combined aggressive shot-making with disciplined decision-making. "I was really feeding off the atmosphere and it felt free, it felt clear, a lot of clarity and not necessarily thinking too much, not trying to do too much. It felt very natural."

Grass has historically been one of Raducanu's strongest surfaces, and she suggested that returning to British conditions immediately felt more comfortable than some of the environments she encountered during the clay season. While windy conditions occasionally complicated play, she adapted effectively throughout the match.

The former US Open champion spoke positively about competing in front of home fans, a factor she believes consistently brings out some of her best tennis. With Wimbledon rapidly approaching, she sees this part of the season as an opportunity to build momentum and confidence.

"I love playing on grass. I think I've had a lot of good years on the grass and playing at home also brings a really good side out of me. I'm really enjoying being a part of this atmosphere. I think it suits me."

The stakes over the next fortnight extend beyond individual match results. Raducanu remains in contention for a seeded position at Wimbledon, although she will likely need several more wins during the grass-court swing to move closer to the Top 32 before the year's third Grand Slam begins.

The next challenge comes in the form of Cirstea, one of the most experienced players on tour and someone who already holds a recent victory over Raducanu. Their Transylvania Open final earlier this season demonstrated the Romanian's ability to manage high-pressure moments, making this second-round clash one of the standout matches of the tournament.

For Raducanu, the encounter also serves as a useful benchmark. Beyond defending ranking points, it provides an opportunity to measure her progress against a player who recently denied her a title. Her comments after the Blinkova match suggested she is focused less on outcomes and more on maintaining the level she displayed in her opening-round victory.

"I think it was a really good stepping stone. The way I was feeling on the court, the way I was moving, the way I was expressing myself, just the whole package, not necessarily the tennis, just how I was acting on the court. I really enjoyed it."

If Raducanu can reproduce the freedom and clarity she described after her opening-round win, she will enter the Cirstea matchup with renewed confidence. More importantly, she will continue building the form required to make an impact during the grass-court season and at Wimbledon later this month.