Emma Raducanu shows tremendous grit in comeback win in Auckland
British No 1 Emma Raducanu won her first match of 2023 on the WTA Tour with a victory over Linda Fruhvirtova in the first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Raducanu had dropped the first set to the 17-year-old from the Czech Republic, but would bounce back to claim the second and third despite a lengthy suspension due to rain.
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The 78th-ranked Brit finished on top 4-6 6-4 6-2 against the relatively evenly matched Fruhvirtova, who is only one rank behind.
Raducanu will face 24-year-old Viktoria Kuzmova from the Slovak Republic in the round of 16.
Raducanu is hopeful of remaining fit and showing that she can return to the heights of her 2021 US Open win.
“I started hitting quite late,” she said. “I did two months of physical, like gym work. Tennis I started hitting properly again [on December 9], so it was pretty soon, and I started playing points like literally [a few days later.]
“Quite early days on the tennis front, but I think it’s positive how I was able to put out a decent level against Ons after not having played much at all. I think that’s pretty positive. And physically just trying to work on a better base and foundation for next year so hopefully I can be more robust and last longer and be able to play a full calendar.”
Meanwhile, rising Chinese star Zheng Qinwen showed that she could be one to watch in 2023.
The WTA’s 2022 Newcomer of the Year pulled off a shock win over sixth seed and former World No 2 Anett Kontaveit in dramatic fashion on Tuesday in the first round of the parallel Adelaide International 1, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(7).
The 2-hour, 28-minute thriller in which she saved a match point in the final set kept the crowd on the edge of their seats.
Zheng established an early dominance in the match taking the opening set in quickfire fashion before racing out to a 6-1, 4-2 lead at the hour mark in the match.
Kontaveit was not going to go gentle into the Adelaide night though as she mounted a fierce comeback in what proved a dramatic and entertaining match.
Both players tightened up their respective games as we headed into the decisive set and neither would drop serve as the decisive set went to a tiebreak.
Grit and a bit of luck would be enough for Zheng to come through in the end.
Two-time Australian Open champion Viktoria Azarenka also needed to dig deep to get past Anhelina Kalinina 7-6(9), 7-6(5) in a 2-hour and 38-minute thriller on Centre Court.
