Rothesay Open Nottingham 2024: Emma Raducanu wins first grass court match in two years

The victory was a result of the choice to switch from playing on clay to dedicating time to intense training before the upcoming busy season on grass courts.

The young British woman, who is 21 years old, expressed her contentment with her skills during the initial round and her ability to remain concentrated during challenging circumstances.

Raducanu said that she didn't have many opportunities to play practice sets prior to this match. However, she was confident that once she felt comfortable with her shots, she would be able to perform just as well in a competition as she had in previous matches.

In real-life scenarios, the only aspect that requires coaching is executing crucial moves such as concluding a game. This observation was evident in today's match. Although I am amazed at my performance, I am also thrilled with the progress achieved through consistent hard work.

For the upcoming match, Raducanu will be facing Daria Snigur from Ukraine. Snigur managed to beat her fellow countrywoman Marta Kostyuk, who was seeded as second, with a score of 6-3, 6-3 during the first match of the day.

Raducanu and Snigur were of similar age groups during their development and faced off against each other in junior-level tournaments.

Raducanu recollected playing against her during the U12 Winter Cup in Romania. She recalled that her opponent had unique playing techniques, being able to skillfully deflect speed and make her move around. Additionally, her opponent exemplified excellent hand skills during their match.

I used to play with her during our junior years, but we haven't shared much court time lately. However, I'm aware that she's a formidable adversary who goes out of her way to make things tough for whoever she's up against.

Concentrating on my side of the court is crucial to me as it can be effortless to feel disheartened. However, I am excited to face her on the court.

In other parts of the Rothesay Open Nottingham tournament, Dan Evans and Henry Searle, who won the Wimbledon boys' singles championship, have arranged to face each other in an exciting second round match. Additionally, there are now seven British players who have advanced to the second round of the men's draw.

Stay informed about the latest outcomes from Nottingham.