Raducanu Dominates in Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Reaches Second Round

Photo : WAM

British tennis star Emma Raducanu started her Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships debut in impressive fashion on Sunday night, winning her first-round match against former World No. 3 Maria Sakkari. Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, triumphed 6-4, 6-2 on Centre Court, marking a perfect start to her first-ever appearance at the tournament.

Raducanu, who received a wildcard for the tournament, faced Sakkari, currently ranked 29th in the world. The match started with Raducanu breaking her opponent’s serve early to take the lead. However, Sakkari, ranked much higher, fought back to level the first set at 3-3. Despite a tough moment, Raducanu kept her focus and quickly broke back, taking the first set 6-4.

In the second set, Raducanu broke Sakkari’s serve again, but once more, the Greek player responded, leveling the set at 2-2. Raducanu, however, wasn’t shaken. She regained the lead and capitalized on Sakkari’s errors, eventually securing a 5-2 lead before serving for the match. She sealed the victory with a powerful ace, much to the delight of the crowd.

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“I just tried to stay focused on what was in front of me,” Raducanu said after the match. “When I was broken in the first set, I regrouped well, broke back, and was happy with my performance.”

Raducanu, who had been struggling with a string of defeats in recent weeks, was thrilled with the win. “I’m very happy to get through to the next round,” she said. “The support here has been great, and I’m enjoying my time in Dubai. I love that everything is open late, so I can go for walks at 11pm!”

The match marked the third time Raducanu had defeated Sakkari, following wins at the 2021 US Open and last year’s Wimbledon, both without dropping a set. Raducanu mentioned that Sakkari’s game is similar to hers, making their matches tough but rewarding.

Next, Raducanu will face 14th seed Karolina Muchova, who defeated Suzan Lamens 6-2, 6-2 in her opening match. Raducanu is eager for the challenge and looks forward to her second-round match on Tuesday.

Earlier in the evening, two-time champion Elina Svitolina breezed past Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in just over an hour. Svitolina, who is making her 10th appearance in Dubai, will next face either Rebecca Sramkova or Clara Tauson.

Marketa Vondrousova, ranked 34th in the world, also advanced to the second round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over French wildcard Caroline Garcia. She will next face either Elina Avanesyan or Mirra Andreeva. Belinda Bencic also comfortably won her match, defeating Aoi Ito 6-0, 6-2, while American wildcard Sofia Kenin triumphed 7-5, 6-3 against Donna Vekic. Paula Badosa defeated Lulu Sun 6-3, 6-4 in the first match of the day.

The 25th edition of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is taking place from February 20 to February 22, with tickets available for purchase online or at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. The tournament will be followed by the ATP Tour 500 event from February 24 to March 1.