"This is not a canned answer" - Martina Navratilova gives her verdict on Emma Raducanu's mental state after Brit's US Open 1R win

Emma Raducanu kicked off her 2025 US Open campaign with a dominant win in her opening round match. After the Brit’s victory, tennis legend Martina Navratilova weighed in on her performance, sharing her honest thoughts about the youngster's mental state.

Raducanu has delivered some impressive results this season, including a semifinals run at the Washington Open in July. Four years after lifting her maiden Grand Slam trophy in New York, the 22-year-old has finally regained her footing on the WTA Tour. On Sunday, August 24, she defeated Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 at the 2025 US Open to move forward into the second round of the Major.

Weighing in on Emma Raducanu’s performance and mental state, Martina Navratilova heaped praise on the Brit, saying on a Sky Sports Tennis broadcast,

“She did all the right things on the court and then in the interview she was right on the money with her mental state and how she is thinking and how she is approaching everything. It was perfect. You could not have scripted better the answers that she gave. She is feeling it. This is not a canned answer, this is how she is feeling. She sees the results and it’s all connected, the brain and the body, the emotions and the heart.”

Navratilova went on to acknowledge the former champion’s footwork, adding,

“I was really impressed with her footwork. It’s always been good but she was so light on her feet. She moved beautifully forward as well as sideways and was always on her front foot. It was really impressive all the way round. She was not pushed and when she was pushed in those games she came through it.”

Martina Navratilova is herself widely considered to be one of the best women's singles players of all-time. The American’s career on the courts saw her claim an incredible 59 Grand Slam titles, 18 of which she won in the singles event.

Emma Raducanu to take on Janice Tjen at the US Open

Raducanu at the 2025 US Open (Image Source: Getty)

For Emma Raducanu, her dominant first round victory over Ena Shibahara at the US Open marks an important milestone. This is the first time the Brit has won a match at the hard court Major since her breakthrough at the same event four years ago.

Up next, Raducanu will return to action on Wednesday, August 27 for her second round encounter in New York. She will be taking on Indonesia’s Janice Tjen for the match.

The duo haven't played each other before, but Emma Raducanu holds the upper hand in terms of ranking and will be a favorite for the win in this match.