Emma Raducanu displayed her true character—lighthearted and gracious—when her post-match interview on Court 1 at Wimbledon 2025 was interrupted by an enthusiastic crowd after her commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory over Elise Mertens on July 2. The British No. 1, advancing to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since her 2021 US Open triumph, faced a lively 12,000-strong crowd that erupted during her interview with Rishi Persad. A fan’s chant, adapting Raducanu’s name to the tune of “Olé, Olé, Olé,” prompted her to raise the microphone toward the stands, amplifying the moment with a smile, per *WTA Tennis*. Another spectator shouted “beautiful” as she described her performance, further energizing the atmosphere, per *GB News*.
Raducanu, ranked No. 40, embraced the interruption, saying, “I’m so, so grateful to everyone and the support today. With the roof closed, it was super loud,” per *WTA Tennis*. She called Court 1 her “favourite court” over Centre Court, citing fond memories like her 2021 third-round win over Sorana Cirstea (6-3, 7-5), per *GB News*. The match, completed in 75 minutes, saw Raducanu hit 24 winners and only eight unforced errors, showcasing her focus despite a season marked by a back injury and off-court challenges, including a stalking incident, per *The Athletic*. Posts on X, like @Wimbledon, praised her for earning the crowd’s song, tweeting, “When you play so well, even the crowd sing to you 🤣” (@Wimbledon, July 2, 2025).
Her playful reaction contrasted with earlier controversies, such as accusations of “arrogance” for wearing a pink outfit during March 2025 practice, flouting Wimbledon’s all-white dress code, per *The Mirror US*. Raducanu’s composure and connection with fans, despite the interruption, set a positive tone for her third-round clash with Maria Sakkari, where she aims to match her career-best Wimbledon fourth-round run from 2021, per *The Mirror.
