Briton fights hard for 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Ekaterina AlexandrovaRaducanu faces Amanda Anisimova in second round in Melbourne
Just a few games into Emma Raducanu’s first contest of the new season, it was clear that an uncomfortable day lay ahead. Having been forced to withdraw from her first scheduled tournament, Raducanu arrived at the Australian Open rusty and undercooked. Under the heightened stress of a grand slam first round match, Raducanu’s serve was completely out of control, double faults cascading from her racket.
As was the case with Jack Draper on the exact same court less than 24 hours earlier, the end goal for any player in this situation is simple: survive for another day so that there are more opportunities during the tournament to improve. Raducanu showed off her survival instincts by fighting through a self-sabotaging 15 double faults to deliver a hardfought 7-6 (4), 6-2 win over Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 26th seed, in the first round of the Australian Open.
About Author
More Stories
Sam Kerr appears in court charged with alleged racially aggravated harassment
Footballl Daily | Lazio show where they draw the line after hard-right falconer’s axe
Barcelona president says club hounded ‘by land, air and sea’ over Olmo saga