Emma Raducanu makes a winning start to 2023

Emma Raducanu makes a winning start to 2023 as she beats Linda Fruhvirtova at the ASB Classic in Auckland… but not before going a set and a break down to her 17-year-old opponent

  • The 2021 US Open champion made a successful start to the year in New Zealand
  • But Raducanu did lose the first set 4-6 to 17-year-old rising star Linda Fruhvirtova
  • Briton, 20, was a break down in the second before fighting back to win in three
  • MIKE DICKSON: Can Raducanu deliver in 2023 after taking on another coach? 

Emma Raducanu won her first match of 2023 on the WTA Tour with a victory over Linda Fruhvirtova in the first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland.

Raducanu dropped her first set to the 17-year-old from the Czech Republic, and was a break down in the second, but bounced back to win in three despite a lengthy suspension due to rain.

The 78th-ranked Brit finished on top 4-6 6-4 6-2 against the relatively evenly matched Fruhvirtova, who is only one rank behind.

Emma Raducanu rallied from a set down to defeat Linda Fruhvirtova at the ASB Classic

The 20-year-old British No 1 had to dig deep to overcome an opponent with a similar ranking

Raducanu lost the first set to 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova and was a break down in the second

The 2021 US Open champion was in trouble during the second set against a player ranked No 79 in the world but rallied to win four games in a row and change the momentum of the match. 

Raducanu will face 24-year-old Viktoria Kuzmova, the world No 105, from the Slovak Republic in the round of 16.

Raducanu, 20, ended her 2022 campaign in early October after suffering a wrist injury, taking a short break to spend time with friends and family before starting two months of fitness training. 

Raducanu is dressed to thrill – but can she improve upon a difficult 2022 in the New Year?

Raducanu has undergone her first week of intensive practice with new coach Sebastian Sachs

Ever the outlier, Raducanu decided not to spend pre-season in Dubai like many of her fellow pros

As she prepares for this month’s Australian Open, Raducanu spent Christmas in Singapore before flying down to Auckland for the WTA event.

Raducanu selected Singapore to fit in an intense block of practice with her latest coach, Sebastian Sachs. The 30-year-old German is the latest to trial working with the British No 1, with a view to a permanent arrangement.

Sachs is the fifth coach Raducanu has used in 18 months. 

‘I’ve had to adapt to the other things,’ Raducanu said recently of her past 12 months. ‘I haven’t changed as a person, but the other things around me have changed a lot. I’ve become extremely busy,

‘I don’t have any time, that’s probably the biggest thing. I’m probably more in the public eye, but it comes with the territory and I wouldn’t change it for what happened.’




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