Emma Raducanu had a valuable experience as a tennis player on Monday when she faced off against Aryna Sabalenka, a multiple grand slam champion. It allowed her to truly gauge her own skills against one of the best players in the world who is always striving for more success.
Seated in the challenging position opposite the second-best player who was playing at their best, Raducanu demonstrated both skill and perseverance in two closely contested sets. However, Sabalenka’s powerful shots and self-assurance in crucial moments ultimately led her to victory in the fourth round at Indian Wells, with a 6-3, 7-5 score.
Sabalenka expressed her satisfaction with her performance and the outcome of the match, praising her opponent’s skills and her own level of play. She also expressed her happiness at advancing to the next round.
At the beginning of the week, Raducanu was trying to keep a significant number of points in her ranking. However, she is now leaving the Californian desert after her most successful week of the year so far. Despite her efforts to regain her rhythm and confidence after undergoing surgeries on her hands and ankle last year, she has yet to beat a top-10 opponent in her career. Her current record stands at 0-6 against the best players in the sport.
In her first two games, Raducanu performed decently against Rebeka Masarova, a qualifier. In her match against the 30th seed, Dayana Yastremska, she had a strong start before Yastremska retired due to stomach pain while losing 4-0 in the first set.
However, competing against Sabalenka poses a significant challenge, as it requires a higher level of skill and energy to match her intensity. It also demands a strong mental resilience to push past moments where she seems unbeatable and continue to seek opportunities. In her match against Peyton Stearns on Saturday, Sabalenka showed her ability to control the game despite facing triple match point on her opponent’s serve and a total of four match points.
Raducanu began the match strongly with two efficient service games. However, as Sabalenka got into her groove and found her stride in her groundstrokes, she took control of the points and the contrast in their shot weight and power was evident. Whenever Raducanu failed to hit her first serve, Sabalenka easily capitalized on her second and hit numerous winners.
Despite being down 2-5 and facing a 15-40 deficit, Raducanu refused to give up in the set and fought fiercely. She focused on her first serves, had confidence in her ability to hit the ball early, and used some of Sabalenka’s own power against her. After successfully holding serve, Raducanu returned with skill and earned four break points in Sabalenka’s next service game. She applied pressure on Sabalenka, but the Belarusian displayed her talent by delivering exceptional serves and shots to secure the victory.
Raducanu, once again, showed determination as she responded to Sabalenka’s strong shotmaking and claimed a 3-2 advantage in the second set. She showcased her strong return skills and as Sabalenka made more mistakes, Raducanu was able to capitalize by using her aggressive play to gain control of the court and take the ball early.
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During the second set, Raducanu competed evenly with the Australian Open winner and appeared more at ease with her baseline play. However, Sabalenka is currently playing the top level of her career, displaying great assurance and self-confidence. When she needed it the most, she delivered and secured two close sets over Raducanu.
In her last match as a teenager, Coco Gauff, the winner of the US Open, advanced to the fourth round with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory over Lucia Bronzetti.
In the men’s tournament, Cameron Norrie was narrowly beaten by a rejuvenated Gaël Monfils, who advanced to the fourth round with a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory. At 37 years old, Monfils is expected to climb back into the top 50 rankings next week, making him the oldest player to do so.
Source: theguardian.com
