Emma Raducanu ended her four-match dropping streak on Sunday as she earned a convincing victory over world No. 29 Maria Sakkari that the 22-year-old Brit mentioned had made her “actually proud.”
Raducanu took one hour and 20 minutes to beat her Greek opponent within the first spherical of the Dubai Tennis Championships, breaking Sakkari within the opening recreation of each units on her technique to a 6-4 6-2 win.
“I simply tried to remain actually targeted on the purpose in entrance of me,” Raducanu mentioned. “There have been some momentum shifts all through the match and after I received damaged twice early within the units I simply regrouped rather well and I managed to interrupt again [immediately] each occasions.
“I used to be actually happy with how I fought and competed in opposition to Maria, she’s a prime participant, been as excessive as three on this planet. I am simply actually happy with my efficiency.”
Raducanu crashed out of the Australian Open in January after a thrashing from the world No. 2 Iga Swiatek within the third spherical and had didn’t file a win in her subsequent three matches.
She suffered her third consecutive opening spherical defeat on Feb. 9 in Qatar, dropping in straight-sets to Ekaterina Alexandrova. She had been knocked out within the first spherical of the Singapore and Abu Dhabi Open within the weeks prior.
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However Sunday’s victory means Raducanu has received all three of her profession matches in opposition to Sakkari with out dropping a single set — considered one of which got here throughout her beautiful US Open semifinals triumph in 2021.
Requested about her 100% file, Raducanu mentioned: “I feel in a manner we play fairly related, she’s actually athletic. I am not essentially going to offer all my ways away, it is only a very tough match each time we play so I am joyful to have received on all these events in all large tournaments and really joyful to get via to the following spherical.”
Raducanu will play Karolina Muchova within the second spherical on Tuesday.
