Emma Raducanu was among the early starters on day one of the US Open, where she quickly progressed into round two.
Raducanu defeated Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 at Louis Armstrong Stadium, and now meets Janice Tjen in the second round.
Tjen is another qualifier at the US Open, the same status Raducanu held when she won the tournament in 2021.
She’s now won her first match at the Grand Slam since that success, having fallen in the first round in each of her two appearances.
The British number one is unseeded at the tournament, which she entered on the back of a round of 32 exit at the Cincinnati Open.
What Emma Raducanu did immediately after her US Open first round match
There, Raducanu lost to WTA number one Aryna Sabalenka, but has returned to winning ways in impressive fashion.
But the 22-year-old wasted no time in getting back to action after her victory, having booked herself a practice schedule spot for the afternoon session.
She went through the motions at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, clearly already looking ahead to her second round test.
Emma Raducanu explains why she practiced right after her first round win at the US Open
Raducanu has impressed on the WTA Tour in 2025, having now taken her wins tally to 25 with her victory at Flushing Meadows.
But the hard work will need to last for some time if she is to enjoy another lengthy run in New York, where she continues her work with coach Francisco Roig.
Explaining her decision to practice just after her match, she said on Sky Sports: “The match was taxing mentally to stay locked in, but I wouldn’t say physically it was the longest match.
“So I feel like I can just tidy up a few things. It’s just something that I’ve been doing over the last few weeks, spending time on the practice court.
“It won’t be very physical, but just to correct a few things, it’s something that I want to do, and hopefully it can help me.”
It was indeed the quickest win of Raducanu’s career, with the lightning-quick display allowing her that extra bit of time with the racket.
Tim Henman thinks Raducanu has improved her endurance, which again will have been key to her extended session on the opening day of another US Open.
The 22-year-old will, of course, be aware of over-exertion, but Roig certainly has enough experience to ensure that doesn’t happen.
He helped Rafael Nadal win his 22 Grand Slam titles, and will now be eager to help Raducanu return to the big time in New York.
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