Emma Raducanu brought a burst of humor to her Canadian Open debut with a funny mistake during her on-court interview after defeating close friend Elena-Gabriela Ruse, showcasing her charm amid a strong performance. On Monday, July 28, 2025, the 22-year-old British star secured a convincing 6-2, 6-4 victory over Romania’s No. 58-ranked Ruse in the round of 128 at the IGA Stadium in Montreal, marking a solid start to her North American hard-court campaign just three days after her semifinal loss at the Citi DC Open in Washington. The match, lasting 1 hour and 18 minutes, highlighted Raducanu’s resilience, with six aces and a 73% first-serve win rate, setting her up for a second-round clash against Peyton Stearns. However, it was her post-match exchange that stole the spotlight.
During the on-court interview, Raducanu reflected on the emotional challenge of facing a friend, saying, “I’m so happy to have come through that. I know Elena, she’s a very good friend of mine and it’s very difficult to play someone who you’re close to, so I’m really proud with how I kind of put that to one side in the match and also backed up a good week last week in Chicago.” The crowd erupted in laughter as she mistakenly referenced Chicago instead of Washington, a slip-up attributed to her fatigue from the quick turnaround across time zones. Quick to catch her error, Raducanu laughed and corrected herself, “Oh, sorry, Washington! I’m a bit jet-lagged, I think,” endearing herself to the audience with her self-deprecating humor.
The friendship between Raducanu and Ruse dates back to their 2021 homecoming exhibition at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where they’ve since shared practice sessions and off-court time. Raducanu acknowledged this bond, adding, “We’ve spent a lot of time together off court, practices, and she’s a great girl so it’s not nice when you have to see her name in the draw.” Her ability to compartmentalize their friendship during the match—breaking Ruse’s serve three times—demonstrated maturity, boosting her live ranking to No. 35 and reinforcing her US Open title defense preparations starting August 24. The mistake, while minor, highlighted the mental and physical toll of her recent schedule, including her doubles retirement in Washington due to heat exhaustion.
Fans on X praised her light-hearted moment, with @EmmaRadFans posting, “That Chicago slip-up was hilarious—Emma’s too cute!” and @TennisLaughs adding, “Jet-lagged or not, she’s killing it!” As the early morning hours tick by at 06:41 AM WAT on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in West Africa, Raducanu’s funny blunder has added a human touch to her professional ascent. With her next match against Stearns looming, this moment of levity could ease the pressure, blending her competitive edge with the personality that continues to win over the tennis world, especially as she navigates the demanding North American swing.
