Emma Raducanu marked her return to the WTA Tour with a convincing victory at Queen’s Club, dispatching Cristina Bucșa 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour. The British number one described her performance as “very clean and clinical” as she breezed into the last 16.
According to The Guardian, Raducanu’s Spanish opponent Bucșa, is a streetwise player in the WTA Tour mid-ranks, but she was unable to cope with the home favourite’s precise play. Raducanu’s first serve was crisp, and her movement was sharp, with few signs of a back spasm that had interrupted her preparations last week.
“I was quite locked in today, so I’m very pleased with my performance,” Raducanu said, as quoted by The Guardian. “Going on to the court laughing at certain shots, or if I’m smiling if I have pulled off a great shot, it does help relax you. I play my best when my personality is put on the court and I can express myself, and I feel like sometimes when I’ve been constrained to play a certain way, it hasn’t necessarily worked. I just need to be free and expressive, and then certain moments of creativity can come up.”
Raducanu’s victory was a significant one, as she had endured a shock defeat against Bucșa in the first round of the Singapore Open earlier this year. But from early on at Queen’s Club, there was only going to be one winner. “When I saw her name in the draw, knowing that it was going to be a difficult match really focused me,” Raducanu said. “With her defence and her slices, it can stay low and shoot on this surface. But I was very, very sharp. I wanted to get every point and score as many as I could, because I lost to her earlier in the year, and I know how tricky she can be.”
The win sets up a last-16 meeting with world No 41, Rebecca Sramkova, on Thursday. Meanwhile, fellow Briton Katie Boulter also advanced to the last 16 with a hard-fought 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-4 victory over Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. Boulter will play Russian Diana Shnaider in the next round.
As The Guardian reports, Tomljanovic is a formidable opponent on grass, having reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon twice. But in a match that featured 13 breaks of serve, Boulter kept her composure and produced her best tennis in the final set to see the match out. “I knew it was going to be a really tough battle,” Boulter said. “She’s someone who’s got a lot of credibility on these courts. She’s just such a tough competitor. She played really well today, very aggressive, which made it very tough for me. But sometimes the biggest wins are these ones, because they’re the ones that give you the confidence.”
Heather Watson became the fourth Briton to reach the last 16, joining Raducanu, Boulter and Sonay Kartal, with an impressive and unexpected 6-4, 6-3 win against Yulia Putintseva. “It’s such a great event so far, and I’m really enjoying playing here, playing on these courts at this amazing club, and staying at home, sleeping in my own bed,” said the 33-year-old, who faces the former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina on Thursday.
The women’s tennis tournament at Queen’s Club has got off to a thrilling start, with several British players making a strong impression. As The Guardian notes, Raducanu’s victory was a particularly encouraging one, given her struggles with injury and form in recent months. The home favourite will look to continue her momentum in the last 16, as she seeks to make a deep run in the tournament.
The source of this article is The Guardian, which reported on Emma Raducanu’s victory at Queen’s Club. The Guardian is a reputable news organisation that provides in-depth coverage of sport, including tennis. Their reporting on Raducanu’s victory provides valuable insights into the world of professional tennis.
The match was covered extensively by The Guardian, and according to their reporting, Raducanu had a very clinical approach to her match against Bucša. The Guardian is a huge publication that covers various news stories. For more information visit: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/10/emma-raducanu-katie-boulter-queens-club-tennis
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