Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu survived a severe case of opening-night jitters and a wayward serve to scrape past seasoned Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(4), 7-6(2) and book her spot in the Australian Open second round.
The 22-year-old Briton, making her first appearance at Melbourne Park since capturing her maiden major title in New York in 2021, overcame a staggering 15 double faults including four when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set. Raducanu dug deep to hold her nerve and edge through the tiebreaks against the 26th-seeded Alexandrova.
Serve Goes Awry but Raducanu Finds a Way
Despite an erratic serving performance that saw her toss in four double faults when trying to close out the match at 5-4 in the second set, Raducanu managed to rely on her return game and competitive grit to pull through in straight sets.
Honestly, I’m not sure what I changed in my serve today. I think it had a mind of its own. I’ll be sure to reflect, look at that and come back to you.
Emma Raducanu
The young Brit fired nine aces to somewhat offset the double fault count, and more importantly, dug in on the big points to deny Alexandrova the chance to extend the match to a third set.
Proud of the Fight
Despite her struggles on serve, Raducanu took pride in her ability to scrap and stay mentally tough in her first match of the 2025 season.
As the balls got heavier, it was a lot more difficult. As more kept coming, it wasn’t easy to refocus, but I knew even if I was down, I have great returns.
Emma Raducanu
Having dealt with a string of injuries since her US Open triumph, an emotional Raducanu was thrilled to pull out the victory in her return to Grand Slam action following what she called a “3-4 month” layoff.
Anisimova Up Next
Raducanu will need to sharpen her game for an intriguing second-round clash against big-hitting American Amanda Anisimova, a player who burst onto the scene in similar fashion with a French Open semifinal run in 2019 at age 17.
I know she’s a big ball-striker. I practiced with her a couple times. She likes to dictate. So I think it’s going to be a big challenge for me.
Emma Raducanu on Anisimova
As Raducanu aims to back up her fairytale US Open win with another deep Grand Slam run, surviving a stern opening exam against a seeded opponent will undoubtedly boost her belief. But the road only gets tougher from here, starting with a dangerous American talent in Anisimova hungry to rediscover the magic of her own teenage breakthrough a few years ago.
| Emma Raducanu | Amanda Anisimova |
|---|---|
| Age: 22 | Age: 23 |
| Ranking: 18 | Ranking: 41 |
| Grand Slam Titles: 1 (2021 US Open) | Grand Slam Titles: 0 (SF 2019 French Open) |
The second-round showdown between the two young talents shapes up as must-watch viewing at the 2025 Australian Open. Can Raducanu rediscover her mojo on the big stage or will Anisimova’s pure power prove too much to overcome? One thing’s for certain – nerves and inexperience won’t be an excuse for either of these precocious hitters as they chase Grand Slam glory Down Under.
