Emma Raducanu marked her return to the US Open winners&rsquo; circle on Sunday with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 first-round victory over Japanese qualifier Ena Shibahara &mdash; her first win at the venue since her stunning 2021 title run.&nbsp;
Under the lights of Louis Armstrong Stadium, the 22-year-old Brit showed no signs of nerves, setting the tone early with a confident ace and an opening hold to love. 
In contrast, Shibahara struggled on serve, double-faulting to concede an early break as Raducanu&rsquo;s aggressive baseline play dictated proceedings, as per the tournament website.
"Of course, I&rsquo;m very, very pleased to have won that match. It&rsquo;s my first win here since 2021, so it&rsquo;s extra special."
&ldquo;First rounds are always difficult, especially at a Slam, there are nerves. Playing Ena, she&rsquo;s really tricky, she hit so many balls on the baseline I wasn&rsquo;t expecting to dip. She obviously came through qualifying, you then feel like you have a little bit of an advantage playing already."
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just very pleased, how I managed myself and managed my game through that match,&rdquo; said the Brit.
Raducanu&rsquo;s relentless return game and movement proved too much. 
A dazzling cross-court forehand on the run helped her secure a double break before she closed out the opening set with a smart overhead following a sprint to track down a drop shot.
Having struggled with injuries and inconsistency since her fairytale 2021 title, Raducanu arrived in New York with growing momentum. 
With a new coach and renewed focus, the world No. 36 showcased the form that once made her a Grand Slam champion.
In the second set, Raducanu&rsquo;s depth and control overwhelmed Shibahara, who couldn&rsquo;t find an answer to her opponent&rsquo;s precision and pace. 
The Brit closed out the match in just 62 minutes to book a second-round showdown with either No. 24 seed Veronika Kudermetova or qualifier Janice Tjen.
With strong results earlier this season, including deep runs in Miami and Washington, and a gritty battle with world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati, Raducanu&rsquo;s US Open campaign looks promising ..
&mdash;IANS

Raducanu celebrates first US Open win since 2021

Raducanu defeats Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 at US Open; her first Flushing Meadows win since 2021

Raducanu Seals First US Open Win Since 2021

Raducanu defeats Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 at US Open; her first Flushing Meadows win since 2021

August 25, 2025 | 10:33 IST