WTA: Emma Raducanu goes down against Rybakina
US Open winner Emma Raducanu (WTA No. 18) did not have a good start to the 2022 season.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jan 11, 2022, 12:26 pm
In her first round match at the WTA event in Sydney, the 19-year-old lost 0: 6, 1: 6 to Elena Rybakina, who was seeded nine.
Raducanu had to postpone the start of the season anyway after testing positive for COVID-19 in December. Actually, she had already wanted to play at the WTA tournament in Melbourne last week, but then canceled in order to gain some training time.
"The time to be at the first Melbourne event comes too early for me," she wrote - she had just returned from isolation.
Raducanu struggled with the fast pace that Rybakina showed.
After her sensational victory in Flushing Meadows on the WTA tour in the late year, Raducanu had only convinced to a limited extent, with two wins and three defeats. Hopefully she'll get a few more training units before the start of the Australian Open next Monday.
Belinda Bencic with an opening win
On the other hand, Belinda Bencic, Elise Mertens and Caroline Garcia, among others, were successful in Sydney; Anett Kontaveit, Paula Badosa and Ons Jabeur had already won their opening games on Monday. Sofia Kenin (against Daria Kasatkina) and Petra Kvitova (against Arantxa Rus) were eliminated.
Cori Gauff convinces in Adelaide
At the tournament in Adelaide, Cori Gauff reached the second round: The American defeated Katerina Siniakova 6: 1, 6: 2. Jil Teichmann was eliminated after a 6: 1, 7: 6 (3) and 4: 6 against Lauren Davis.