Following her 6-1, 6-2 defeat to Coco Gauff in the fourth round of the Italian Open on May 12, 2025, Emma Raducanu shared a lighthearted “remedy” to cope with the loss. On May 15, she posted an Instagram Story featuring a casual lunch with close friends, including Bridgerton actress Simone Ashley. The trio enjoyed fries and tea, with Raducanu captioning the post “Remedy,” accompanied by a patched-up heart, stethoscope, and big eyes emojis. This social outing offered a glimpse into her approach to bouncing back emotionally, emphasizing the importance of personal connections amid the pressures of professional tennis. Raducanu’s candid reflection post-match acknowledged Gauff’s dominance, stating, “I felt outplayed today,” citing windy conditions and Gauff’s high-bouncing shots as challenges. Despite the loss, she remained optimistic, noting, “I didn’t win on the match court today, but I’m going to find a way to win the day still.”[]
**Plotting an Instant Return**
Raducanu wasted no time plotting her return, accepting a wildcard into the Internationaux de Strasbourg, a WTA 500 event starting May 19, 2025, just before the French Open (May 25–June 8). This decision reflects her determination to build on her Italian Open performance, where she won three consecutive clay matches for the first time, defeating Maya Joint, Jil Teichmann, and Veronika Kudermetova. The Strasbourg tournament offers a chance to refine her clay-court game, which she admitted needs work, especially in windy conditions and against top players like Gauff, who exploited her with a revamped forehand. Raducanu’s coaching setup, with Mark Petchey and Jane O’Donoghue, has fostered a relaxed mindset, yielding eight wins in 11 matches. Her Rome run boosted her ranking to No. 42, close to reclaiming the British No. 1 spot from Katie Boulter. With only one prior French Open appearance (second round, 2022), Raducanu aims to leverage Strasbourg to gain momentum for Roland Garros, where she hopes to make a stronger impact.
