Emma Raducanu battled through illness to secure a hard-fought victory on her return to the French Open yesterday, banking an incredible prize fund in the process.
The British number two triumphed 7-5 4-6 6-3 against China's Wang Xinyu in a gruelling contest lasting two hours and 44 minutes.
The 22-year-old former US Open champion showed remarkable determination despite clearly struggling with her health throughout the match.
"I don't feel great, I was struggling from the start," Raducanu told TNT Sports after her win. "I was flat but I'm happy to find a way."
Emma Raducanu triumphed 7-5 4-6 6-3 against China's Wang Xinyu
Reuters
Her victory sets up a challenging second-round encounter with defending champion and four-time French Open winner Iga Swiatek.
Raducanu's physical struggles were evident from the outset of the match. At the first changeover, she looked anxiously towards her support team of Jane O'Donoghue and Tom Welsh.
The young Brit required medical attention on court towards the end of the first set, with doctors taking her blood pressure during the examination.
After consuming a banana to boost her energy levels, Raducanu initially appeared revitalised but continued to battle with her condition.
She briefly left the court before the deciding set, returning with renewed vigour to quickly establish a double break advantage.
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This performance offers yet another demonstration of Raducanu's improved resilience when not feeling physically at her best.
Raducanu's victory has secured her a handsome prize of £98,000 for reaching the second round at Roland Garros.
This represents a significant increase from the £65,000 she would have received had she exited at the first hurdle.
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Emma Raducanu was able to play on in her French Open win over Wang XinyuREUTERSThe financial rewards continue to escalate throughout the tournament, with third-round participants earning £168,000 and fourth-round competitors taking home £265,000.
Quarter-finalists receive £440,000, while semi-finalists pocket nearly £700,000 for their efforts.
The eventual champion will claim a substantial £2,550,000, which exceeds the winner's purse at the Australian Open but falls short of Wimbledon's £3.2 million top prize.
Raducanu now faces the daunting task of challenging world number one Swiatek, who comfortably dispatched Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova 6-3 6-3 in her opening match.
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Wang Xinyu pushed Emma Raducanu hard but ultimately came up short in their French Open battleREUTERSThis contest represents a significant step up in competition for the British star, who is making only her second appearance at Roland Garros after missing the past two tournaments due to injury.
Currently ranked 41st in the world, Raducanu has struggled to replicate her remarkable 2021 US Open triumph. She has yet to reach the last 16 in any of the other Grand Slam tournaments.
The match will provide another opportunity for Raducanu to demonstrate her growing resilience against the clay court's dominant force.
