Emma Raducanu triumphed in a challenging first-round encounter against Peyton Stearns at the Korea Open in Seoul. The British player, ranked 70th in the world, secured a hard-earned victory with scores of 7-6 (7-4) and 7-6 (7-5) after a grueling two hours and 43 minutes on court. This match marked her return to competitive play following an early exit from the US Open.
Raducanu expressed satisfaction with her performance despite the tough conditions. "I'm proud to have made it through to the next round. It was tough and very humid," she noted, acknowledging the difficulty of the match and her limited recent playtime. She also praised Stearns, who is currently ranked 48th, highlighting her opponent's strong form.
The match began with Raducanu showing strong form, breaking Stearns in the opening game. However, the encounter was marked by numerous service breaks, with Raducanu ultimately taking the first set in a tie-break after a 74-minute battle. The second set followed a similar pattern, with both players saving break points until Raducanu managed to break Stearns' serve to lead 5-3.
Despite being broken while serving for the match, Raducanu clinched victory in another tie-break after a second set that lasted 89 minutes. She will face China's Yue Yuan, ranked 40th in the world, in her next match.
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