Emma Raducanu worryingly bursts into tears during her Korea Open match

There were concerning scenes during Emma Raducanu's opening match of the Asian swing at the 2025 Korea Open when she unexpectedly began crying.

Raducanu finally got her campaign in Seoul underway on Wednesday after delays due to rain. She faced Jaqueline Cristian in the slow, heavy conditions, which led to many lengthy rallies being exchanged.

Despite Raducanu winning 6-3, 6-4, the match was lengthy and energy-sapping. The Briton's finishing the contest in two sets prevented her from possibly being too tired for her round-of-16 matchup.

However, the battle's physicality cannot explain Raducanu's tears. The score stood at 3-3, 15-40 when she began crying after looking her usual, composed self in the opening stages until that moment.

No apparent reason could be detected for Raducanu's emotions. The fans were very supportive of the Briton because of her Chinese mother, which always makes her a popular figure at tournaments in Asia.

Cristian, the umpire, and her team also did not behave in a way that upset Raducanu. Without her confirming the reason, it is impossible to predict what caused the 22-year-old's distress confidently.

One theory is that the match taking so long to start because of the weather played a role. She was meant to play over 24 hours earlier before the encounter began on Wednesday evening, and routine disruptions can cause players strain.

Raducanu's response to those tears was outstanding. From 3-3, 15-40, she won three consecutive games from that position to secure the set before battling through a tight second, where Cristian created several opportunities.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova will face Raducanu on Thursday. Although she played well against Cristian, Raducanu will need a better performance against Krejcikova if the Czech plays near her best.

Raducanu's match against Karolina Muchova at the 2025 Dubai Championships in February is best remembered for the young WTA star becoming visibly distressed and crying after seeing a man who had stalked her at the other Middle Eastern tournaments in the crowd.

The upset Raducanu hid behind the umpire's chair after seeing the man, who was swiftly removed by security. Although any crying is notable and worrying, she was upset for longer in Dubai than against Cristian in Seoul.

A few months after that happened, Raducanu admitted it took her a while to fully get over that uncomfortable moment, and she has become more aware of security since then.

The same man tried to get tickets for the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, but luckily, the event's systems flagged him as a danger, and his attempts were unsuccessful. Hopefully, he never goes near Raducanu again.

Raducanu has faced pressure and unrealistic expectations from many since winning the 2021 US Open as an 18-year-old qualifier. She has enough on her shoulders without having to consider being stalked by creeps.

After some challenging times due to form and fitness issues, Raducanu has played some of her best tennis since 2021 this year, and there is still so much time ahead for her to get even better.