As the tennis season inches toward its conclusion, fans are bracing for some last-minute on-court drama. The action isn’t slowing down just yet, especially with the Asian swing promising to showcase some exhilarating skills from the world’s best. With every player eager to finish the year on a high note, it’s clear that the competition will be fierce. But for Emma Raducanu, the stakes feel a little more personal.

The British sensation is all set to play her first full Asian swing that began at the Korea Open in Seoul this week. She will also participate in the back-to-back WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Shanghai where she will be playing for the first time. But for the 21-year-old, the reason behind this participation is as much personal as professional.

Speaking in an interview, Raducanu opened up about the reason behind her affection for the Asian swing and especially China, per WTA tennis.com. “Playing in China, I’ve never done that, so that’s going to be a first for me. I feel pretty comfortable in this environment, which is an advantage. I just want to play as much as I can.” For the unversed, the Brit’s mother is Chinese and the player has grown up speaking Mandarin during her childhood. She has also visited the country often to meet her grandmother. Meanwhile, her affection for the tournament in Korea is no different.

Raducanu has demonstrated some intense skills in Asia. She has often cited Seoul as her favorite city and even her debut depicted the same. She qualified for the semifinals in the tournament when she played there for the first time two years ago. “In my match, no matter how bad I was playing, I just wanted to keep playing here because I like it. Korean food is my favorite, nonstop, over anything, so I’ve really just been enjoying my time here,” she said. Besides the personal aspects, the tournament is equally crucial for the professional gains of the 2021 US Open winner. 

Raducanu has witnessed a rollercoaster of a year and has failed to shine brightly in the major events. She was ousted in the second and fourth rounds of the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships respectively. Her performance at the US Open was even more tragic where she was ousted in the first round itself. But for now, the star player has only one wish and it is to stay healthy.

Emma Raducanu opens up on her plan for the remaining season

Emma Raducanu started the season as the No. 285 ranked player owing to her absence from several tournaments last year after surgeries on both wrists and one ankle. But she has entered Seoul, having climbed up to No. 70. As she moves ahead, she has only desire and it is to remain healthy and keep playing at her best level possible.

After the grueling 3-hour match against Peyton Stearns in the opening match in Korea, Raducanu let her true emotions out. Speaking to reporters, she said, “I think the rest of the year, as long as I’m healthy I’m going to try and finish the season and play as many matches as I can. So today, as grueling as it was, I think I had three hours of match experience, which can only aid me going into the next few weeks. For me now, I just want to play matches and, in the meantime, do a little bit of work on my game where I can.”

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if Raducanu uses the comfort of the Asian swing to her benefit and shines brightly in Korea and China.