Emma Raducanu secured a significant financial boost at the French Open 2025, banking £98,000 (approximately $124,000) for reaching the second round after a grueling 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory over China’s Wang Xinyu on May 25, per GB News. Despite battling illness and a back spasm, the British No. 2, ranked No. 41, set up a blockbuster second-round clash with defending champion Iga Swiatek, showcasing her resilience. Meanwhile, Andy Murray made headlines with a humorous anecdote shared by Rafael Nadal during a Court Philippe-Chatrier ceremony on May 25, revealing how Murray teased him over a football rivalry, adding a lighthearted moment to the tournament’s emotional tributes.[]
Raducanu’s first-round win, a nearly three-hour battle marked by health struggles, guaranteed her £98,000, a substantial increase from the £65,000 for a first-round exit, per Express.co.uk. The prize money escalates further, with third-round players earning £168,000, fourth-round £265,000, quarterfinalists £440,000, semifinalists nearly £700,000, and the champion claiming £2.55 million—surpassing the Australian Open’s top prize but trailing Wimbledon’s £3.2 million. Raducanu’s 2021 US Open title remains her career pinnacle, but her 2025 clay season, including a fourth-round Italian Open run and a Strasbourg win over Daria Kasatkina, signals progress despite a 1-2 Roland Garros record and ongoing injuries. Her match against Swiatek, who leads their head-to-head 4-0, including a 6-1, 6-0 thrashing at the 2025 Australian Open, tests her mettle, but Caroline Wozniacki’s endorsement—“If Emma won a Grand Slam once, she can do it again”—bolsters confidence.
During a tearful French Open tribute to Rafael Nadal, who won 14 of his 22 Grand Slams at Roland Garros, the Spaniard shared a humorous story about Murray, per Express.co.uk.
