Emma Raducanu fought until late on Thursday evening in a thrilling match at Melbourne Park, but was unable to defeat China’s Wang Yafan. Despite a strong performance, Wang’s discipline allowed her to narrowly secure a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory and advance to the third round of the Australian Open.
Reworded:
Just two days after her eight-month break, Raducanu won her first grand slam match by defeating Shelby Rogers in straight sets. She then returned to the 1573 Arena in Melbourne to compete for her first second-round win. She was preceded on the same court by two other British players, Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter, and the British fans showed their support with loud cheers.
In 2019, Wang was ranked among the top 50 players but dropped to the top 500 due to extended breaks and a decline in performance. However, she made a strong comeback in the past year, winning 37 out of 40 matches on the ITF circuit in the summer. As a result, she has climbed back up to her current rank of No. 97. Though Wang is smaller and not as powerful as some of her competitors, she compensates with excellent agility, strategic thinking, and a powerful top-spin forehand to outwit her opponents.
While Raducanu had difficulty finding her rhythm, Wang played flawlessly in the first set. She consistently retrieved difficult shots, limited her own unforced errors, and controlled the game with her forehand. The slower court conditions posed a challenge for Raducanu, who struggled to overpower Wang and made more mistakes. Wang continued her dominance by breaking Raducanu’s serve in the second set, giving her a 6-4, 2-0 advantage.
As the game appeared to be slipping away from her, Raducanu suddenly gained a burst of energy. She started hitting the ball wider, forcing Wang to move around the court with sharp angles, and she maintained her stamina during longer exchanges. The key factor was Raducanu’s improved forehand, as she added more power to it and aimed to take command of the rallies. She swiftly regained the lost point and gained the advantage. Despite missing two set points while serving at 5-3, she bounced back to break and win the set.
The last round started with some of the most intense back-and-forth plays of the game, as both competitors strategically moved each other across the court and the majority of rallies lasted more than nine shots. Raducanu showed signs of fatigue and struggled to catch her breath between points, even coughing and choking a bit. Trailing 2-0, she called for a medical break and received medication from the doctor on the court.
Although Raducanu’s body endured the demands of a long and exhausting match, her stomach did not. She reported feeling unwell and experiencing nausea during the third set.
Raducanu explained that she suddenly began feeling ill, experiencing weakness and nausea. She fought through the third set, but her body felt fine despite her struggles. However, she did have some vomiting in her mouth during the match, which fully came out after the match ended. She is now feeling better, but the timing of her illness was unfortunate.
Despite the pressure, she remained determined. After Wang successfully navigated a third consecutive long deuce game to take a 3-1 lead, the intense and unpredictable third set had already been going on for 48 minutes. Raducanu put up a strong fight, creating chances on Wang’s serve until the very end, but Wang managed to hold onto her serve and ultimately secured an impressive win.
Raducanu missed a match that she could have won in the beginning rounds, but she was able to play despite having surgery on her hands and ankle. The most important thing is that she was able to finish the match without any complications from her previous injuries, and the stress and tension of the three-hour match did not result in any new injuries. Due to her extended break from playing, it is reasonable to have low expectations for her performance.
Building form and experiencing losses are inevitable steps in the training process, requiring time and dedication. The key is for Raducanu to maintain her momentum and consistently train and compete to truly gauge her potential for growth.
“I have no fear in fully dedicating myself to my movement, training, and tennis,” she stated confidently. “I am more self-assured than ever, especially since I am able to play without any pain. This is something I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to do. It’s a blessing and I am grateful for it. Moving forward, I will continue to train harder, work more in the gym, and strive for consistency.”
Source: theguardian.com
