Emma Raducanu +14 in rankings as she reveals key factor to gutsy victory in Washington
Emma Raducanu’s resurgence continued at the Washington Open as she won her opener against Elise Mertens with victory pushing her back into the top 80 of the WTA Rankings.
Some had questioned her decision to skip the Paris Olympics as she opted to focus on her health and rankings, but the 21-year-old gave a defiant response to those detractors with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win in a topsy-turvy two-hour and 26-minute match as she admitted her mentality and character were key to the outcome.
It is the second time in the space of a few weeks that the 2021 US Open winner got the better of Mertens as she also defeated the Belgian in the second round at Wimbledon.
After trading breaks in the opening two games, Raducanu took charge late in the set with two breaks as she won the final four games. World No 35 then claimed a single break in game six of the second set to take it to a decider.
The third set was a humdinger with Raducanu edging ahead with a break in game four only the Belgian to hit back immediately. She broke again in game eight but Mertens replied immediately again.
A fourth break in game 10 earned her the win and a second-round match against either Clervie Ngounoue or Peyton Stearns.
Rankings Rise
Raducanu’s win over Mertens was her 10th top-50 victory of the 2024 season and her 859 points will see her rise 14 places in the WTA Rankings, sitting provisionally at No 75, which equals her best position since January 2023.
A win in the second round could see her move into the top 70, but for now Raducanu is delighted to have navigated her way past a tricky opener.
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“Incredibly pleased to have got through that one, not necessarily because of the tennis, but just because of the way I fought and the way I dug myself out of certain situations,” she said.
“I just want to thank all of you for staying late, it’s not easy to be playing this late, let alone stay this late. I’m sure some of you have work tomorrow, appreciate it.
“I’m very pleased because I love this tournament and I just want to continue here.”
The 21-year-old added: “Getting through first rounds are always difficult, first rounds are about getting through them, trying to find a way to work your way into a tournament. I’m very proud of that, I think I played some pretty good tennis too. I think I lost my focus a bit in the second and I am happy to have recovered the break back in the third set.
“I think I am just most proud of my mentality and character today.”
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