
Courtesy: Google
Emma Raducanu ended up crashing out from the Singapore Open after facing defeat from World No 101 Cristina Bucsa by 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 in the first round. The former British No. 1, Raducanu, was facing a challenge in her service game and made seven double faults, securing just 25% of the total points on her second serve. This was her first match after splitting from coach Nick Cavaday recently. Cavaday stepped back from his duty due to health issues, leaving her searching for a full-time coach, and the next one will be the seventh of her young career.
With this tough defeat, Emma Raducanu's aspirations of gaining some solid ranking points at the WTA event were dashed. Moreover, this loss comes after she was thrashed by Iga Swiatek in Melbourne at the Australian Open in the third round on January 17. Raducanu would most certainly have re-entered the top 50 if she had advanced to the quarter-final stage at the Kallang Tennis Centre.
The grueling match that lasted for three hours with 17 breaks
The grueling match between Raducanu and Bucsa went on for three hours and three minutes during which both had 17 breaks of service. The Spanish player served for the first set at 5-4, but Raducanu, was in 56th rank, winning the next three games to seize control of the contest.
The second set had three consecutive service breaks, leaving Bucsa 3-1 and then 4-2 ahead, but Raducanu fought back, along with three straight games putting herself 5-4, but Bucsa recovered with the next three games to tie the match. During the match, doubles specialist Bucsa struggled with her serve during the second set. However, she managed to fight against Raducanu to win the seventh game to level it up.
Following a yet another close set, the third one, Bucsa emerged victorius, and said, "I don't play [three-hour matches] enough. But it was really good. Emma played so well from the first ball until the end. I'm so glad I kept going and kept believing in myself." The Olympic women's doubles bronze medallist Bucsa will next be facing Sijia Wei from China or Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand in the last 16 of the Singapore Open.