Emma Raducanu’s Korea Open Campaign Hampered by Torrential Rain in Seoul
Emma Raducanu ‘s attempt at a comeback following the US Open has hit a major roadblock, as grim rain continues to disrupt proceedings at the Korea Open.
The WTA 500 event, held in Seoul, has become a soppy affair for players hoping to gain vital ranking points. With courts doused, not a single ball has been struck in several sessions.
Matches were first suspended on Tuesday due to heavy downpours, a situation that persisted into Wednesday. Raducanu was slated to face Romania’s Jacqueline Christian on September 16.
Yet, as of September 17, the Briton’s match timing remains uncertain. Officers have tallied her first-round hassle to 200 pm in the stopgap that the rainfall will ameliorate.
Drying started at the Seoul WTA 500.
No play before 3:30pm local time (45 minutes from now).
Anastasia Zakharova vs Sorana Cirstea
Diana Shnaider vs Caty McNally
Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova vs Anna Blinkova / Makoto Ninomiya https://t.co/uKQrlXyUB0 pic.twitter.com/jYWHmQ4G8S
— edgeAI (@edgeAIapp) September 17, 2025
Still, suckers were advised that no play would be done before 130 pm original time.
Raducanu isn’t alone in her frustrations. Anastasia Zakharova and Sorana Cirstea saw their match halted this morning, while Diana Shnaider was forced to suspend her contest against Caty McNally despite leading in the deciding set.
Doubles fixtures have suffered too, with the pairs of Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova and Anna Blinkova/Makoto Ninomiya still awaiting resumption.
For Raducanu, the delay is more than an inconvenience; it’s a test of patience. Should she overcome Christian, she faced 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who secured a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory over Tatiana Prozorova in the round of 32.
“It’s going to be a tough one for sure,” analysts suggest. This would mark their first meeting in a WTA event, adding conspiracy to the tourney.
Raducanu’s decision to prioritise the Korea Open over the Billie Jean King Cup has also drawn attention back home in the UK.
Following her third-round exit at the US Open, she decided on a wildcard entry in Seoul rather than representing Great Britain.
For context on her recent struggles, she previously crashed out of the Canadian Open, adding pressure to her current campaign.
On The Tennis Podcast, presenter Matt Roberts expressed his disappointment: “Raducanu’s was the one that was a real shame to me, I must say.
I don’t want to be harsher on Raducanu than I am on other players. You know, I want to see all the players play Billie Jean King if possible.”
Roberts speculated that financial incentives may have influenced Raducanu’s decision: “I just didn’t really understand why Raducanu is not playing, to be honest.
I know she’s playing a tour event instead, and she will point to ranking points and, trying to get seeded for the Australian Open and all of that kind of thing, which I do understand, but I think there was also a pretty big appearance fee going her way to play that tour event in Korea as well.”
At present, the young British star’s Korea Open journey is in limbo. Rain continues to dictate the schedule, leaving fans wondering whether Raducanu can navigate the weather woes and mount a serious challenge in Seoul.
