HSBC Championships 2026: Emma Raducanu win ‘a good steppingstone’ to start grass court season

The former US Open champion announced her return to the grass with a dominant performance over the qualifier to book her place in the second round.

Raducanu only dropped six points in the first set and broke her opponent three times in the second set to claim her first tour win in three months.

The British star was all smiles in her press conference after the match as she now looks ahead to a re-match of her Transylvania Open final against Sorana Cirstea earlier this year.

“It felt really good to be back out playing on a home court in front of the fans, in front of all of the support. I really enjoyed it, and I'm really proud of my performance today.”

“I feel like I started extremely well, and I think despite not having played a lot of matches, I was really pleased with how I came out and was playing very free. I think I was just feeding off of the atmosphere, and it felt free, it felt clear, and a lot of clarity.

“Not necessarily thinking too much, not trying to do too much. It felt very natural.”

After a shorter clay court season, the world No.42 has been putting in the work with coach Andrew Richardson, who she last worked with during her historic 2021 US Open victory.

The Brit, who reached the quarter-finals of the HSBC Championships last year, is feeling at home on the surface where she’s had a lot of success over the years and is enjoying being back in front of a British crowd.

“Yeah, we have been working day in, day out, since I started training again, and even throughout the clay season we have been working and putting good shifts in each day. 

“You don't know when it's going to pay off. I think it's work that's compounded over the last few weeks. 

“Of course there is a lot more work to do, but I think I'm really just trying to enjoy the process, despite the results, keep showing up each day with the best attitude and the best commitment I can.

“I love playing on grass. I think I have had a lot of good years on the grass. And playing at home, I think it also brings a really good side out of me. 

“I think I'm really enjoying being able to be a part of this atmosphere. I think it suits me. I think it was a little bit windy today, but I handled it pretty well, and the sun was in and out. Yeah, it feels nice. You just feel like you're at home.”

In the second round against Cirstea, Raducanu will be looking to get her first top 20 win since last May when she beat Daria Kasatkina in Strasbourg.

The pair have met twice before with Raducanu having won their only meeting on Grass at Wimbledon in 2021 but the Romanian last beat her in the final of her home tournament earlier this year.

The Brit is taking confidence from her opening performance and hoping she can continue her form across the rest of the grass court and heading into Wimbledon.

“I think it was a really good steppingstone, and I think 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 kind of was acting on the court, I really enjoyed it. 

“I think that's something that I want to take forward in all of my matches and really embrace this grass court season.”

You can watch Raducanu versus Cirstea alongside all the rest of the action live from The Queen’s Club across the BBC and its digital services.