SUMMARY
- Emma Raducanu's comeback was cut short early at the Australian Open.
- The support of the fans and the court was not enough for Emma Raducanu in Melbourne
Emma Raducanu was back on tour this month after being away due to wrist injuries. She had last played a match in April at Stuttgart. Upon her comeback, Raducanu played in Auckland and won her opening match. Though she lost the next match, there were hopes of Raducanu winning a couple of matches at the Australian Open.
The British youngster was playing against Yafan Wang in the second round. In the fourth game of the opening set, Wang was hitting powerful groundstrokes to keep Raducanu far from the baseline. Raducanu hit a defensive backhand in the air, which bounced just a step away from the net as Wang got ready to finish the point. But a gutsy wind pulled the ball back into Raducanu’s court.
Emma Raducanu got a huge favour from the Melbourne wind there 😅🌬 #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/6uSF1QQqLH
— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 18, 2024
The Chinese player could not believe what had just happened. She had a smile on her face as the 1573 Arena tried its best to support Raducanu in the match. It proved to be insufficient, as Wang reached the third round of a grand slam for the first time. She had lost in the second round of the US Open a few months ago and will now face fellow countrywomen in the next round.
Emma Raducanu departs early despite her comeback in Melbourne
The 2024 Australian Open was Raducanu’s first grand slam in 12 months. She had played in the 2023 edition and lost in the second round. The former world No. 10 has been knocked out at the same stage this year. Raducanu was facing Wang for the first time on tour. The 29-year-old was playing in her 14th grand slam and had beaten Sorana Cirstea in the opening round.
Raducanu was taking more risks than her opponent from the start of the match. Even though she hit 45 winners, she also committed 57 unforced errors throughout the game. In the second and third sets, Raducanu gave Wang 42 free points. The former world No. 47 was patient while rallying and dominated the rallies with more than four shots.
Yafan Wang secures her best-ever Grand Slam result, defeating Emma Raducanu 6-4 4-6 6-4 in a tick under three hours to reach the third round!#AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/OygZK4ECJG
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2024
Wang’s first serves were faster than Raducanu’s, which helped her defend 15 breakpoints. She will now face Qinwen Zheng for a place in the fourth round. Zheng had lost to Wang in their only meeting on tour in 2018 in Liuzhou. The 21-year-old is the highest-ranked player from her country at present. Wang will be eager to continue her best form in Melbourne.
