Emma Raducanu returned to America almost four years on from her epic triumph at the US Open still with similar scrutiny which saw her life go from an 18-year-old barely known to a worldwide star.
But Raducanu is on a lot more solid footing now and while she hasn't gone on to lift more Grand Slams since, playing regularly and having form is something that is more important. She has opened up her DC Open Washington campaign on Tuesday with victory.
Raducanu saw off the seventh seed Marta Kostyuk 7-6(4), 6-4 in a match that took nearly two hours. She will now face either Naomi Osaka or Yulia Putintseva in the second round in Washington. As of right now, Osaka is a set up in a potential duel of two former Grand Slam champions.
Kostyuk is in fact the highest ranked player that Raducanu has beaten since May when she saw off Daria Kasatkina in the first round of Strasbourg. Kostyuk had the upper hand for most of the first set coming within two points of winning the set on two different occasions.
Both players broke and arrived at a pivotal juncture - a tiebreak. Kostyuk double faulted and immediately fell 4-0 down. But she got it back to 4-4. The comeback though was in vein as Raducanu took advantage of another slip up to smash a backhand winner down the line which gave her the lead. Kostyuk overcooked a forehand return with the set there begging for her and Raducanu escaped. The set consumed 70 minutes.
Raducanu continued on winning the first three games of the second set and Kostyuk returned to level the playing field up at 4-4. Raducanu usually has great issue closing out matches but she didn't this time. She held and broke for the win converting match point when a forehand sailed wide.
Other results to bring you from today. Danielle Collins is out dumped out by Magda Linette 7-6, 6-4. While Katie Boulter didn't make it two Brits through as she was soundly beaten 6-3, 6-4 by a resurgent Maria Sakkari.
But there was other American success as Taylor Townsend, Caroline Dolehide and Sofia Kenin all secured wins albeit mostly it was at the detriment of other Americans as McCartney Kessler and Hailey Baptiste lost. But Anna Kalinskaya also eased through in a 6-2, 6-3 win over Kamilla Rakhimova.
So very much a mixed day for the big names in Washington but Raducanu is through successfully in style.
Match Statistics Kostyuk vs. Raducanu
| Kostyuk | VS | Raducanu |
|---|---|---|
| Service | ||
| 3 | Aces | 2 |
| 7 | Double Faults | 4 |
| 58% (45/78) | 1st Service Percentage | 73% (55/75) |
| 67% (30/45) | 1st Service Points Won | 71% (39/55) |
| 48% (16/33) | 2nd Service Points Won | 50% (10/20) |
| 67% (4/6) | Break Points Saved | 71% (5/7) |
| 70% (7/10) | Service Games | 82% (9/11) |
| Return | ||
| 29% (16/55) | 1st Return Points Won | 33% (15/45) |
| 50% (10/20) | 2nd Return Points Won | 52% (17/33) |
| - | Break Points Saved | - |
| Other | ||
| 1h 56m | Match Duration | 1h 56m |
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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