Emma Raducanu had to overcome the nerves as she claimed her spot in the second round at the Australian Open.

Raducanu maintained her 100% winning record in first-round matches at Melbourne Park, where she beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2) on Tuesday.

The 2021 US Open champion made 15 double-faults across the match and had to save a set point on her serve in the second.

However, she clicked through the gears in both tiebreaks, in particular the second one, storming into a 6-0 lead before sealing victory on her third match point.

Raducanu acknowledged the nerves that come with competing at a major had set in before the encounter, but felt she coped with them well.

She told reporters: "I think first rounds there's always nerves. I feel like every player in the draw would think that.

"It's just about overcoming it and getting through [the] first round. I love playing the slams. I love playing the big tournaments, of course.

"But you do feel a little bit more excitement and buzz at these tournaments, especially with how busy it is. When you walk around, there's a lot going on.

"It's just important to stay focused and in your zone. I think I'm doing a good job with that, just how I go about my day and business. That's all I can do, and I'm just going to keep doing it."

Raducanu Rises @EmmaRaducanu styles her way through to the second round at #AO2025 pic.twitter.com/7t1G0XrHv1
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2025

Raducanu feels her performances in the tiebreaks against Alexandrova are evidence she can perform well under pressure.

"I think that is a part of my game that is one of my strengths," she said.

"When it gets to those clutch moments, I mean I relish playing in that. There's obviously a lot of nerves. If you channel it and use it as excitement and buzz.

"It's good to have that confidence in big moments. At the same time, tiebreaks can go either way. It's never a good thing to just rely on your tiebreak.

"You would ideally close it out. But when it comes to it, it doesn't always go your way. It's good to just have that confidence."

Raducanu will face her good friend Amanda Anisimova in round two.

"She's a big ball-striker. She hits the ball really hard," said the 22-year-old, who also explained she was fuelled by berries, toast and honey for her early stint on court.

"[I] practiced with her a couple times. She likes to dictate, so I think it's going to be a big challenge for me. She's had some amazing results, as well. She broke out really early.

"I'm looking forward to going out there and testing my game and seeing where I'm at."