British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu has advanced to the third round of the Cincinnati Open after a commanding straight-sets victory over Serbian player Olga Danilovic. The win, a 6-3, 6-2 triumph, marks a significant milestone for the 22-year-old as it was her first match with new coach Francisco Roig, Rafael Nadal’s former mentor, in her corner.
The match, which lasted an hour and twenty minutes, was a promising display of Raducanu’s renewed focus and form. While the opening game saw a slight wobble, as she was broken to love, the 2021 US Open champion quickly found her rhythm. She responded with a strong, confident performance, demonstrating the kind of resilience and tactical intelligence that she and Roig have been working on. After a series of early service breaks from both players, Raducanu seized control, breaking Danilovic for a 5-3 lead in the first set. She then went on to win seven straight points, securing three set points and closing out the set with a powerful ace.
The second set showcased an even more dominant performance. Raducanu’s strategic play and deep returns kept her Serbian opponent constantly on the defensive. She capitalized on Danilovic’s errors and secured a crucial break for a 3-2 lead, never looking back. She went on to win the next three games to seal the victory, wrapping up a comprehensive performance that left no doubt about her deserving spot in the next round. This victory is a testament to her recent progress, as she has now won six of her eight matches during the North American hard-court swing, a crucial series of tournaments leading up to the US Open later this month.
The partnership with Roig appears to be off to a flying start, with Raducanu acknowledging the positive impact he’s already had on her game. In a recent interview, she expressed her excitement about the collaboration. “I think the way I’m playing, the movements of my shot, improving the quality of my shot,” she said, highlighting the immediate changes. She also noted the satisfying feeling of executing plays they’d worked on in practice. “There were four or five points where I did something that we were working on, and it’s always really satisfying and rewarding when you hit a shot and you’ve worked on it in practice,” she stated.
Looking ahead, a formidable challenge awaits Raducanu in the third round, where she is on a collision course with either world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka or 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova. This potential matchup against one of the world’s top players will be a true test of her new coaching partnership and her recent form. It’s a repeat of her narrow Wimbledon defeat to Sabalenka last month, making the potential third-round clash all the more compelling.
In other Cincinnati Open news, fellow tennis stars also made their mark. Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek secured a confident 6-1, 6-4 win over Anastasia Potapova, while Jannik Sinner, fresh off his maiden Wimbledon title, dismantled Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1, continuing his impressive run on hard court with his 22nd consecutive win.
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