Rising British tennis star Emma Raducanu snapped her four-match losing streak in style on Sunday, defeating world No. 29 Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-2 in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships. The confident victory left the 22-year-old Raducanu feeling “really proud” of her performance.
“I just tried to stay really focused on the point in front of me,” Raducanu said after the match. “There were some momentum shifts throughout the match and when I got broken twice early in the sets, I just regrouped really well and I managed to break back [immediately] both times.”
I’m just really proud of my performance.
– Emma Raducanu on her win over Maria Sakkari
Raducanu Dominates Head-to-Head Against Sakkari
The win improved Raducanu’s career record against Sakkari to a perfect 3-0, with the Brit having won all of their matches in straight sets. Most notably, one of those victories came during Raducanu’s historic run to the 2021 US Open title as a qualifier.
When asked about her dominance against the Greek player, Raducanu remained coy. “I think in a way we play quite similar, she’s really athletic,” she said. “I’m not necessarily going to give all my tactics away, it’s just a very difficult match every time we play so I’m happy to have won on all these occasions in all big tournaments and very happy to get through to the next round.”
Snapping the Slide
The much-needed win halts a disappointing stretch for Raducanu to start the 2023 season. She suffered a third-round exit at the Australian Open in January, losing to world No. 1 Iga Swiatek. That was followed by three consecutive opening-round defeats:
- Ekaterina Alexandrova def. Raducanu at Qatar Open
- Camila Giorgi def. Raducanu at Singapore Open
- Gabriela Lee def. Raducanu at Abu Dhabi Open
But the victory over Sakkari, her highest-ranked win of the young season, provides a much-needed boost for Raducanu as she looks to rediscover the form that saw her become the first qualifier to ever win a Grand Slam singles title.
Raducanu’s Road Ahead
Raducanu moves on to face Karolina Muchova in the second round on Tuesday in Dubai. The Czech player, currently ranked No. 60, reached the quarterfinals of last year’s Australian Open.
A deep run in Dubai would do wonders for Raducanu’s confidence as she aims to recapture the scintillating tennis that captivated the sporting world during her US Open triumph. With her effortless power, deft touch, and unshakable poise, Raducanu has all the tools to become a consistent force on the WTA Tour for years to come.
For now, the focus is on building momentum one match at a time. And with her losing streak now firmly in the rearview mirror, Raducanu can attack the rest of the season with renewed vigor and the knowledge that she has what it takes to beat the world’s best.
