Emma Raducanu’s ‘humiliating’ statistics as she is battered by Iga Swiatek

Kevin Palmer
Pictured: Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu looking disappointed

Emma Raducanu’s showdown with Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open was hailed as the ultimate chance for the Brit to show she can compete with the best players in the women’s game and sadly, the answer she got was pretty devastating.

From the first point to the last of a one-sided third-round match at Rod Laver Arena, the gulf in class and power between these two young players was evident.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek looked like a heavyweight battering a flyweight as she ripped into Raducanu, who looked horribly out of her depth against a one-time junior rival.

Even though Raducanu is a Grand Slam champion after her 2021 US Open, Swiatek is a proven winner in the biggest tournaments in tennis and the harsh truth must be that this was an embarrassingly one-side match.

With Raducanu’s first serve continuing to miss its target, her second serve was gobbled up by Swiatek who showed no mercy as she put her foot on the accelerator and sealed a 6-1, 6-0 win.

Raducanu had no answer against an opponent who had far more firepower, confidence and quality at her disposal and long before the final ball was struck, the result was never in doubt.

A glance at the statistics from this match told a harrowing tale for Raducanu.

She won just 17 of the 31 points when she landed her flaky first serve and only five points when her gentle second serve was floated in Swiatek’s direction.

Raducanu hit just nine winners compared to Swiatek’s 24, with the Pole winning 59 points to Raducanu’s 29.

Swiatek’s winner count hit 24, with Raducanu notching up just 9 and while these statistics are predictable in a game where she only won one game, the scale of this defeat cannot be underestimated.

“Really great,” said Swiatek. “This is what I practice for. To play these kinds of shots and I really enjoyed today’s match.

“I felt really confident and at the end, I could push for even more. Converting all these break points was really important and I’m pleased with that performance.”

Given the chasm in class between the two players in this match, it is impossible to envisage a day when Raducanu could beat Swiatek.

This match may also be a chastening reminder that Raducanu is a long way from competing with the best players in the women’s game, with the scars left by this battering almost certain to impact her confidence.

Raducanu will head back to Britain knowing the levels she needs to get to if she is to compete for the biggest titles in tennis again and she would not be alone in fearing the mountain she has to climb to be a contender in women’s tennis may be beyond her.

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She may be sitting just outside the 50 in the WTA Rankings, but Raducanu will have to go back to the drawing board and try to find a way to up her power-hitting to have any chance to compete with players of Swiatek’s ilk.

She will also need to solve the serving problems that have troubled her for some time and don’t be surprised if a player who has changed coaches at an unhealthy rate over the last three years will be looking for some fresh advice after this crushing loss.

Current coach Nick Cavaday will be looking over his shoulder wondering if he will be blamed for this Raducanu humbling, but her problems run deeper than her current chief adviser.

What next for Raducanu?

She will be asking that question herself as if this is the best she can offer against one of the game’s current greats, her solitary Grand Slam win is likely to be the last major success of her career.

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