Emma Raducanu says she is still finding her feet on the WTA Tour, admits she is far from being a "finished product"
Emma Raducanu booked a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Transylvania Open with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Ana Bogdan on Thursday. The 2020 US Open champion produced a strong serving performance to deny the Romanian a third top-25 win of her career.
Both women produced some solid tennis, but it was Raducanu who was the steadier of the two, triumphing in a contest that lasted an hour and 30 minutes,
Speaking to the media at her post-match press conference, Raducanu said being patient was the key to her success against Bogdan. The youngster also expressed satisfaction with the way she served on Thursday.
“On the run she was coming out with shots that were landing on the baseline at times,” Raducanu said. “I was sort of like ‘How is she getting the ball back again?"
"But I think I managed to stay patient and keep going and in the end I thought I served it out pretty well," she continued. "And in general, I think my serve helped me quite a lot in this match.”
Raducanu fended off a spirited comeback from Bogdan in the second set, and the Brit said she is "learning" with every match she plays. Raducanu also admitted that she is still far from a "finished product."
"It's definitely taking me some time to find my feet still," Raducanu said. "I'm just taking some learnings from every match that I play. I don't think I'm the finished product yet."
"Marta Kostyuk absolutely destroyed me in the juniors" - Emma Raducanu on her next opponent
Emma Raducanu also shared her thoughts on her next opponent, 19-year-old Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk. The Brit recalled their matches from the juniors, saying Kostyuk "destroyed" her every time they played.
The Brit added that both she and Kostyuk have come a long win since then and that she was "looking forward" to this encounter.
"[Kostyuk] absolutely destroyed me in the juniors," Raducanu said, "She was playing full-time and practising, on the road, from a very young age. She’s developed a lot of skills doing that."
"I kind of came from behind and caught up this year," she continued. "But I think she’s a great mover and great athlete. The match up is going to be pretty different because we’ve both come a long way since that young age. I’m looking forward to going out there."