An emotional Emma Raducanu got her Korea Open campaign off to a winning start after she beat Jaqueline Cristian to reach the second round in Seoul. 

Raducanu, who withdrew from Great Britain's Billie Jean King Cup squad to compete in the event, came from behind in both sets to win 6-3 6-4 in just over two hours. 

Each of the opening three games saw break point opportunities for both players, but Cristian was the first to capitalise to convert what was her eighth break point of the match. 

Raducanu appeared to wipe tears away after going 3-1 down as she plotted her comeback, which she was able to do as she reeled off five straight games to take the first set. 

The second set saw just one serve held in the first five games, but Raducanu was able to regain her composure to hold at 3-3 before turning on the style to seal the victory. 

Raducanu broke Cristian's serve for a third time in the penultimate game and once again held a break point of her own before securing the win with a serve Cristian returned wide. 

"It hasn't been easy. I feel like I've played this match for the last three days," Raducanu said in her on-court interview.

"So to have pulled through after waiting, I'm super pleased with how I came through. Tough conditions, very slow -- long rallies, long points. So happy to have gotten through."

Coming out on @EmmaRaducanu digs deep for a straight sets victory against Cristian, 6-3, 6-4.#KoreaOpen pic.twitter.com/5yYNMqAAea

— wta (@WTA) September 17, 2025

Data Debrief: Raducanu shines under pressure

In what was her first appearance on the court since her third-round exit from the US Open, Raducanu showed her grit and determination in a match that featured 22 break points. 

The British number one saved 12 of the 15 break points she faced (80%), compared to Cristian's two from seven (28.6%), and therefore won five of seven opportunities she had to break her counterpart.

Raducanu will face Barbora Krejcikova in the second round, marking her first-ever matchup against the 2024 Wimbledon champion.