By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Emma Raducanu made history at the 2021 U.S. Open when she became the first player to emerge via qualifying rounds to win a major singles title.
Who was the first player that Raducanu beat in her historic run? It’s an excellent trivia question, sure to stump even the most astute followers of the game.
The answer to the question is Bibi Schoofs of The Netherlands who lost 6-1, 6-2 to Raducanu in the first round of qualifying at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center.
I decided to reach out to Schoofs and do a short interview about the match, her status as Trivial Pursuit answer and about her thoughts on Raducanu’s run to her historic title. She also revealed some fascinating perspectives on playing in qualifying events at Grand Slams and on the ITF World Tennis Tour, the “minor leagues” of professional tennis. She also talked about experiences and moments in tennis – not necessarily where she was victorious on the court – that she holds dear and is the reason why she continues to pursue her dreams in tennis.
Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9EpJhG8-Ac
Schoofs, who is currently recovering from a serious foot injury, reached a career high of No. 142 in singles and No. 83 in doubles on the WTA Tour. While she won one WTA Tour doubles title (Auckland, New Zealand in 2018 with Sara Errani. which she hilariously discusses in her interview), she excelled on the ITF World Tennis Tour. She won eight singles titles in 19 finals in singles and won 21 doubles titles in 37 finals.
She also represented The Netherlands in Fed Cup (now Billie Jean King Cup).
