Emma Raducanu was delighted after surviving the difficult weather in Auckland and winning her opening game of the season. On Tuesday, Raducanu rallied from a set and a break down to beat young Czech Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6 6-4 6-2 in the first round of the ASB Classic.
The match lasted two hours and 28 minutes and was stretched to over four hours due to two rain delays. «I think it’s been about four hours, I honestly don’t remember what time it is anymore,» Raducanu said with a laugh.
Raducanu, who just turned 20, admitted that it was a bit strange playing 17-year-old Fruhvirtova, three years younger. «What a fight. Linda is a very young player, and it was a different dynamic for me, because I was the youngest, and in this game it is, and yes, it will be up there for sure, and it is.» already very big».
Raducanu added. Raducanu saved three break points in the eighth game, but also missed four in the ninth, as Fruhvirtova led 5-4 after the first nine games of the match. In the tenth game, when Raducanu served to stay in the first set, Fruhvirtova hit the first break of the match.
After winning the first set, Fruhvirtova began the second set with a break and a 2-0 lead. Trailing by a set and a break, Raducanu responded with back-to-back breaks to win four games in a row and take a 4-2 lead in the second set.
Raducanu held serve for the remainder of the second set to force the decider. Raducanu then won three straight breaks early in the third set to lead 5-0. Raducanu missed his serve in the sixth game and also missed three match points in the seventh.
However, in the eighth game, Raducanu had no problems and the Briton managed to serve out to win the match. In his next match, Raducanu will face Veronika Kuzmova. The young British woman is working to recover the tennis that led her to shine at the 2021 US Open, where she won her title from the qualifying phase.
Raducanu has provided some interesting answers.
Emma Raducanu has provided some interesting answers to questions posed to her by the ASB Classic media department. Raducanu was asked to describe her awakening ritual.
«I wake up, set my alarm and froth milk very soon after. I travel with my milk frother and yes, it’s just a little piece of home,» she said. The world No. 78 further revealed that his favorite place to play on tour is Seoul.
«I played in Seoul, it was great. I haven’t played here (Auckland) yet, but Seoul is really great,» he said.
