Emma Raducanu explains outpour of emotion after ‘difficult situation’ and gives update after fall at Eastbourne

Emma Raducanu delighted after her win

Emma Raducanu has admitted that she had to overcome “tough circumstances overnight” before defeating Jessica Pegula at the Rothesay International.

The 2021 US Open winner notched up her first-ever win over a top-five player as she defeated top seed Pegula in the second round of the WTA 500 event.

The 21-year-old saved a match point in the second-set tie-breaker before closing out the 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5 victory.

The relief on Raducanu’s face after the match was completed was there for all to see and she first referred to “some stuff” during her on-court interview saying: “I’ve been going through some stuff and to come through is really nice.”

Later on in her post-match press conference as again made reference to it.

“I’m not gonna lie. Because I had some tough circumstances to handle overnight, so I had to, you know, really just pick myself up and, yeah, crack on with it,” she said.

Asked about sharing more details about the issue, the former world No 10 added: “No, I’d prefer to keep those private, but I think that it’s just a great message for anyone who, you know, they think they can’t, like, get themselves going or fight through anymore, and you can always, even when you think you’re down and, you know, there is no chance of coming back, there is always a way.

“I think will is a big thing, and it can get you through a lot of difficult situations.”

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Raducanu slipped during the final few games of the deciding set, but luckily she didn’t pick up any serious injury.

“I think it’s a little bit green, like, on the court, the back, especially I say as the day goes on,” she explained.

“But, no, physically obviously it was a tough match. It was a long three-setter, very demanding emotionally and physically. But I don’t have, like, any injuries. Yeah, blisters, but that’s it.”

Her spirits are now high as she will head to Wimbledon on the back of a run to the semi-final of the Nottingham Open and now the quarter-final in Eastbourne, where she faces Daria Kasatkina next.

“It gives a lot of confidence, I’d say,” she said. “I think I took a lot of confidence already from just the training I have been doing, and I think this is just reassurance, I kind of knew all the hard work would lead to somewhere, and it’s nice to see, you know, on a match court against a top opponent who even when I was up in the third set, you know, it’s never over.

“And the conditions were getting harder and harder to manage as the balls were getting heavier. It was like beach balls at the end of the third set. So I think the way I was just able to compose myself being Love-40 in the last game as well and serve it out is something I have to take amazing pride from.”