Who is Emma Raducanu’s Korea Open Round 2 opponent? Grand slam star Barbora Krejcikova

Oli Dickson Jefford 17 Sep 2025 5:00 PM

Pictured: Emma Raducanu and Barbora Krejcikova.

Grand Slam champions Emma Raducanu and Barbora Krejcikova.

Emma Raducanu has the chance to surge up the WTA Rankings across a busy Asian swing, and her mission started with a gutsy opening win at the Korean Open on Wednesday.

After an elongated wait to take to court due to multiple rain delays across Tuesday and Wednesday, Raducanu produced a gritty display to beat Jaqueline Cristian in straight sets in Seoul, sealing a crucial boost in the WTA Rankings in the process.

Now, world No 33 Raducanu will return in round two looking to seal victory and match her quarter-final run at the WTA 500 event from 2024, though it will be far from easy against world No 39 Barbora Krejcikova — one of the most accomplished players of recent years.

Krejcikova’s success

Krejcikova’s career has been extraordinary, and what she has achieved is well above her current ranking.

The Czech has won three Australian Open mixed doubles titles and is a Golden Career Slam in women’s doubles, though she is also a two-time Grand Slam singles champion.

She stunned the tennis world with her shock triumph at the 2021 French Open, winning the title unseeded, before another surprising victory at Wimbledon in 2024.

Krejcikova peaked at world No 2 in February 2022 though her ranking has ebbed and flowed since then, and she was down outside the top 70 following a third-round defeat during her Wimbledon title defence this summer.

However, after nightmare injury struggles earlier in the season, the 29-year-old has found form this summer, capped off by an impressive run to her second US Open quarter-final.

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That has propelled her back inside the top 40 of the rankings, and she is provisionally up to world No 36 in the WTA Live Rankings ahead of this second-round clash.

Krejcikova looked in fine form in round one, dropping just three games versus Tatiana Prozorova.

This will be the first career meeting between Raducanu and Krejcikova and, with just six places between the two in the current rankings, there may be little to choose between.

When will the match take place?

The good news for both players — particularly Raducanu — is that the weather looks much improved in Seoul on Thursday, which means the match is likely to take place as scheduled.

Krejcikova and Raducanu’s clash will be the fourth and final match on Centre Court on Thursday, taking place not before 19:30 local time, around 11:30 UK time or 06:30 on the US East Coast.

Play will open at 14:00 local time, with French Open star Lois Boisson facing a tough test against second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, in the latter’s first match of the tournament.

That will be followed by the Korean Open debut of world No 2 and top seed Iga Swiatek, who faces off against Sorana Cirstea.

Night session will begin not before 17:30 local time, with qualifier Katerina Siniakova facing fourth seed and 2024 finalist Daria Kasatkina, before Raducanu and Krejcikova take to the court.