DailySun
Following her unsatisfactory departure from the Australian Open, EMMA RADUCANU reflected, “I didn’t play very well,” after being defeated in straight sets by Iga Swiatek.
The match for the British athlete was brief, lasting just over an hour, during which she lost 11 games consecutively, with the final score being 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 substantial Grand Slam defeat were “clear.”
Raducanu stated: “She played exceptionally well, and my performance wasn’t up to par. It’s just not a good mix.”
“I understood what happened out there: if I can’t maintain my serve or manage the game, it affects my overall gameplay.
“The pressure significantly escalates based on how points are structured from my second serve.”
Prior to facing Swiatek, Raducanu had achieved victories over No26 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in two tiebreak sets and Amanda Anisimova in straight sets to advance to the third round.
Still, she found it difficult to respond to second seed Swiatek, who is striving to capture her first Australian Open.
On her future strategy, Raducanu explained: “Serving is my primary focus.
“In my initial two matches, I performed admirably against two formidable opponents because I was able to defend and move well, incorporating different aspects of my game.
“However, that part certainly needs refinement.”
Raducanu has now faced the 23-year-old Pole four times and is still waiting for her first win.
Emma Raducanu wins her Australian Open opener but vows to improve an aspect of her game that was ‘inconsistent’
Reflecting on their previous matches, she mentioned: “The key difference between today’s game and when I competed in Stuttgart, where I was quite competitive, is that I served exceptionally well there.
“I believe my groundstrokes have advanced, yet today, I lacked enough opportunities to effectively compete from the baseline.
“I feel I’m steadily improving; it’s just that one crucial element isn’t aligning with expectations.”
Despite the loss, a silver lining was that Raducanu displayed no apparent signs of physical distress after enduring injuries over the past few years, including a recent back spasm during last month’s Auckland Open.
She remarked: “Three weeks ago in Auckland, I was focused on pool rehabilitation.
“Competing on a tennis court is something I’m grateful for.
“I resumed practice 18 days ago upon my arrival, and I need to concentrate on the positives of defeating quality opponents in the preliminary rounds.
“Today, I have no excuses related to my back or physical condition.”
The British No2 added: “What’s next? I’m not entirely certain; my team might recommend taking it slow. Yet, I feel there’s work to be done, and I’m eager to begin as soon as possible.
“I believe I’m approaching this rationally. I’m not feeling excessively emotional about it either way. I expect to return to training quite soon.”
