Raducanu Exits Australian Open After Disappointing Second Round

Emma Raducanu’s journey in the Australian Open came to an abrupt halt as she suffered a second-round defeat at the hands of Austria’s Anastasia Potapova, missing out on a chance to face top seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Seeded at 28, Raducanu fell short with a scoreline of 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 against the 55th-ranked Potapova. The British player displayed a lackluster performance, characterized by sluggish movement and a series of unforced errors throughout the match.

The 23-year-old appeared uncertain, particularly with her forehand, which she had recently adjusted. Key moments in the match were marred by mistakes, including a wayward volley during a crucial phase in the first set and a double fault that allowed Potapova to break serve for a 4-1 lead in the second set.

This tournament marked Raducanu’s first Grand Slam seeding in over three years, but her preparations were hampered by a foot injury that kept her away from the court until late December. Despite a spirited victory over 197th-ranked Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the opening round, Raducanu seemed underprepared against Potapova.

The first set was riddled with errors from both players, commencing with five breaks of serve before Raducanu gained the upper hand. Serving for the set at 5-4, she was broken again by Potapova, who seized the opportunity to take the tie-break.

After a lengthy break at the end of the first set, Potapova surged ahead in the second, quickly establishing a 3-0 lead with two breaks of serve. The two players exchanged breaks, but Potapova soon took control and advanced to victory, leaving a dejected Raducanu to exit the tournament.

With many anticipating a potential clash against Sabalenka, this defeat served as a stark reminder of the challenges Raducanu currently faces in her game. In related news, British qualifier Arthur Fery also saw his Australian Open campaign end after losing 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 6-3 to Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the men’s second round.