Emma Raducanu beats former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in Eastbourne opener ahead of Wimbledon
Emma Raducanu easily advanced to the second round of the Rothesay International by defeating former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in straight sets in Eastbourne.
Raducanu fought hard to come back from being behind in the first set. She then easily won the second set, winning 6-4 6-0. This made the local fans very happy.
The winner of the 2021 US Open has faced challenges with both her performance and injuries in the past few seasons. However, she expressed optimism before this week's tournament, stating that she believes positive outcomes are certain to occur after rediscovering her passion for tennis.
Raducanu, who was given a special invitation to compete in Wimbledon next week, will face off against second seeded Jessica Pegula in the upcoming match. Pegula, who automatically advanced to the next round without having to play, will be Raducanu's opponent.
"The first set was very intense and I was behind for most of it but I was able to come back," Raducanu explained. "Sloane is extremely athletic and she was playing really well in the first set, making a lot of shots and counterattacking effectively."
This blog post is brought to you by Twitter. In order to display this content, we ask for your permission to use cookies and other technologies. You can customize your cookie preferences by using the buttons provided. You have the option to enable Twitter cookies or allow them just for this session. You can always adjust your settings through the Privacy Options. If we are unable to confirm your consent for Twitter cookies, you can click the button below to allow them for this session.
"It was a challenge to break through her defenses, but I was able to solve the puzzle in the second set."
Raducanu didn't play on the grass courts last year because she had surgery on her wrists and one ankle. But she didn't seem to have any fitness problems as she prepared for Wimbledon in a strong way, continuing her success from reaching the semi-finals in Nottingham.
We recommend using the Chrome browser for a better experience when watching the video player.
After receiving encouragement from the enthusiastic crowd at Centre Court, Raducanu played aggressively from the beginning. She held her serves early on and then broke Stephens' serve four times in a row. This helped the young home favorite prevent Stephens, who is 31 years old, from taking control of the match.
A very skilled drop shot was followed by a perfect serve in the ninth game, which helped Raducanu gain the advantage in the match. She then hit an incredible backhand shot that went cross-court, securing her win in the set.
Twitter is sharing this content, and they might be using cookies and other technologies. In order to see this content, we need your approval to use cookies. You can click on the buttons below to update your preferences and allow Twitter cookies, or you can choose to allow them just this once. You can adjust your settings anytime through the Privacy Options. If we haven't confirmed if you've given consent for Twitter cookies, you can click the button below to enable them for this session only and view the content.
She easily won the second set while Stephens, ranked 45th in the world and winner of the 2017 US Open, had a difficult time dealing with her opponent's strong shots and accurate placement.
What's Next On Sky Sports Tennis?
As we approach the third major tennis tournament of 2024, Wimbledon, you have the opportunity to see the top tennis players in the world competing live on Sky Sports during the grass-court season.
We recommend using the Chrome browser to watch the video player more easily.
Enjoy watching the WTA and ATP Tours on Sky Sports Tennis next year. Access Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. There's no contract, so you can cancel at any time.
