The Telegraph
Following her disappointing departure from the Australian Open, EMMA RADUCANU stated, “I didn’t play very well,” after suffering a straight-set loss to Iga Swiatek.
The British player’s match spanned just over an hour, during which she dropped 11 consecutive games, concluding with a score of 6-1, 6-0.
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The 22-year-old, who reached the third round in Australia for the first time, recognized that the reasons behind her significant Grand Slam defeat were “clear.”
Raducanu stated: “She played incredibly well while my performance fell short. It’s simply not a good mix.”
“I understood what happened: if I can’t maintain my serve or control the points, it impacts my whole game.
“The pressure increases considerably based on how the point develops from my second serve.”
Before her matchup with Swiatek, Raducanu had claimed victories over No26 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in two tiebreaks and Amanda Anisimova in straight sets to advance to the third round.
However, she found it difficult to respond to second seed Swiatek, who is aiming for her first Australian Open title.
As for her future plans, Raducanu mentioned: “Improving my serve is a priority.
“In my previous two matches, I performed well against two strong players because I was able to defend and move well, incorporating other aspects of my game.
“Nevertheless, that aspect definitely needs improvement.”
Raducanu has now faced the 23-year-old Pole four times and is still in search of her first win.
Emma Raducanu wins Australian Open opener but vows to refine part of her game that had ‘a mind of its own’
Reflecting on their past encounters, she noted: “The distinction between today’s match and my performance in Stuttgart, where I was quite competitive, is that I served exceptionally well there.
“I feel my groundstrokes have enhanced, but today, I simply didn’t have sufficient opportunities to compete effectively from the baseline.
“I believe I am improving gradually; it’s just that one critical element isn’t meeting expectations.”
Despite the defeat, a positive aspect was that Raducanu displayed no visible signs of physical discomfort, especially after dealing with injuries over the past few years, including a recent back spasm during last month’s Auckland Open.
She shared: “Three weeks ago in Auckland, I was involved in pool rehab.
“Being able to compete on a tennis court is something I appreciate.
“I started training 18 days ago upon my arrival, and I need to focus on the positives of defeating quality opponents in the early rounds.
“Today, I have no excuses concerning my back or physical state.”
The British No2 added: “What’s next? I’m not certain; my team may recommend taking it slow. However, I feel there’s work to be done, and I’m eager to get started as quickly as possible.
“I believe I’m being level-headed about it. I’m not feeling overly emotional in either direction. I expect to return to training quite soon.”
