Emma Raducanu extends first-round winning streak after strong performance in China Open debut

Emma Raducanu returned to winning ways in her China Open debut against Cristina Bucsa with a score of 6-3, 6-3. The 30th seed of the tournament continues to show the consistency she has built over the last year in the early rounds, debuting successfully in yet another event. The Brit now reaches 13 wins at the WTA 1000 level.

The last time Raducanu lost in the first round of a tournament was back in Indian Wells in March of this year. Since then, the British player has debuted successfully in 14 consecutive tournaments—a notable achievement for a player who, in past seasons, was never overly consistent on the tour.

The British No. 1 secures important ranking points and is currently in the Top 30 of the live rankings—a position she hasn't held since 2022, when she still retained the points from her US Open title a year earlier. Raducanu had another great service performance—with five aces in total—and now totals 28 wins for the season.

It was not an easy opponent for Raducanu, as Bucsa has shown her worth recently, being one of the rising names on the Tour. The Spaniard recently surprised with her campaign at the US Open, reaching the Round of 16—where she was defeated by eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Raducanu showed her class in the important moments and has given signs for months that she feels more comfortable being one of the strong names on the Tour. It was an even start, where both saved break opportunities until the middle of the set, when the score was tied 3-3. That's when Raducanu began a great streak and took control of the set, winning three consecutive games—converting her fourth break point—and ended up taking a set that had a tight start, 6-3.

The second set began in the best way for the Brit, who quickly secured an opening break and led 2-0 on her serve. Raducanu was even close to achieving a second consecutive break, but Bucsa managed to resist at a complicated moment in the match and stay alive. The 27-year-old Spaniard took advantage of the missed opportunities by Raducanu and immediately broke back in the very next game, leveling the score at 2-2.

This would be of little use against a Raducanu who did not lose her emotional composure and remained concentrated on the match. First serves were especially effective for the former US Open champion in the second set, with 87% of points won on her first serve—much higher than Bucsa's 57%. Thus, Raducanu remained calm and broke back immediately, taking the lead in the set and never letting go. The former Top 10 player stayed ahead for the rest of the set with good service games and ended up closing out the victory 6-3, 6-3.

For the first time this season, Raducanu moves into the Top 30 of the live rankings—although this position is not yet secured, as several players could surpass her with strong campaigns at the China Open. Nevertheless, one more victory would practically assure her a spot in the Top 30, certainly one of the Brit's goals for the end of the year, which could help her start 2026 in a seeded position for Grand Slam tournaments—something that will undoubtedly clear her path if she aims to go deep in the majors.

For the third round, she will have a more than complicated opponent in World No. 6 Jessica Pegula, who is coming off a convincing debut victory over Ajla Tomljanovic (6-0, 6-3). They have three previous encounters, with Pegula leading the head-to-head 2-1 (2-0 on hardcourts).