Emma Raducanu knows how to entice crowds when she’s in the mood. Or at least, she tries her level best. The Briton, who is in action at the Korea Open, has made a commanding statement. Though the route might’ve been hazy battling against all odds, Raducanu has prevailed. However, there’s more to it. Only this time, it pertains to her off-court commitment which is directly connected with how deeply she stabilizes her fanbase amongst the Korean crowd.

The British superstar arrived in Korea on the back of a heartbreaking opening-round loss at the US Open. Despite committing to find consistency and with it, rid herself of misfortunes, the young talent was unable to dig deep in New York.

A shadow of her former self still, Raducanu isn’t looking to give up so easily. Her Korea Open rival, of all people, was given the first-hand experience of her resilience.

The Briton commenced her campaign against Peyton Stearns in Seoul and despite facing resistance from the American sensation, the 21-year-old wasn’t to be denied. In what was a first-round thriller, Raducanu survived the scare against Stearns and closely gapped the latter with a nerving score line of 7-6(4), 7-6(5). While holding her ground isn’t new to Raducanu, what came afterward was a first.

In hopes of retaining the Korean crowd’s support and marking her favoritism among them, the Briton pledged to up her Korean speaking skills when asked to address the crowd in an on-court interview. “I just wanna say thank you very much. I need to improve my Korean so yeah.” While it is no surprise that several international tournaments pose a linguistic barrier for players, Raducanu has decided to opt for the most logical way. And to much irony, it works in her favor from all directions. A truly classy move by Raducanu!

The Briton is on par with the Korean cultural touch. Having iterated enjoying performing in Seoul, the World No. 70 is a true enthusiast for the place. Something that she admitted during her interview as well.

Emma Raducanu expresses fondness for Korean cuisine

Being an athlete has its perks. Traveling and exploring the world is undoubtedly one of them. Naturally, for someone like Emma Raducanu, who has toured the circuit long enough, she has stepped into places otherwise only dreamt of by the masses. Subsequently, the 21-year-old’s travel itinerary also comes tagged with the diverse cuisines around the globe. And guess what, she already has a favorite one.

During the same interview, Raducanu said that the Korean cuisine was hands down the best she’s ever had. Notably, pan-Asian dishes rank among the top of her food preferences, which only goes to reinstate Korean fans’ likeliness for her. Despite skipping the event last year due to injury concerns, the British star has returned only to experience her love for the place yet again and with it, present the crowd with noteworthy performances.

The 21-year-old will next lock horns with Yue Yuan in the second round. Owing to her dropped form, the Briton is currently unseeded at the WTA 500 event. As she will battle the No. 8 seed to further push her agenda at the Korean tournament, Raducanu will have to bring her A-game to the fore on Thursday, September 19.