Emma Raducanu battled through a gruelling three-set contest to defeat China's Wang Xinyu in the first round of the 2025 French Open on Monday.
The British star overcame a medical timeout to secure a hard-fought 7-5 4-6 6-3 victory on Court 8 and set up a blockbuster showdown with fifth seed Iga Swiatek, who comfortably dispatched Rebecca Sramkova in her opening match.
Raducanu, currently ranked world No 41, showed remarkable resilience throughout the match against the world No 43 Wang, particularly after entering the tournament with concerns following a back injury sustained in Strasbourg.
The 22-year-old former US Open champion needed nearly three hours to secure her place in the second round of the clay court Grand Slam.
Emma Raducanu is through to the second round of the French Open, with the Briton overcoming Chinese opponent Wang Xinyu in three sets on Monday
REUTERS
The first set was a tightly contested affair with both players exchanging breaks as momentum shifted back and forth. With Raducanu leading 6-5, the Brit required medical treatment for what appeared to be an eye problem.
Despite the interruption, the 2021 US Open champion returned to the court with renewed focus, holding her serve to love and taking the first set 7-5.
Raducanu's more measured approach proved crucial in the opener, as she registered significantly fewer unforced errors than her Chinese opponent.
The medical timeout came at a critical juncture in the match, but the British player showed impressive composure to close out the set immediately after receiving treatment, much to the delight of the vocal British supporters on Court 8.
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Wang came out fighting in the second set, immediately breaking Raducanu's serve and establishing a commanding 5-1 lead as the British player appeared to struggle with her energy levels.
Despite looking fatigued, Raducanu refused to surrender, breaking back and holding serve to reduce Wang's lead to 5-3.
The drama intensified in the ninth game when Raducanu earned two break points, converting with a spectacular forehand winner that drew enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
Wang's frustration boiled over in the tenth game after a contentious line call denied her a set point at 5-4, with Raducanu's shot being ruled in by the umpire.
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Wang Xinyu pushed Emma Raducanu hard but ultimately came up short in their French Open battle
REUTERS
The disputed decision only seemed to galvanise the Chinese player, who halted Raducanu's momentum of four consecutive games to claim the second set 6-4 and force a decisive third set.
Raducanu started the deciding set with renewed determination, immediately breaking Wang's serve and consolidating to establish a 2-0 lead on the Parisian clay.
Chants of "Let's go Emma, let's go" echoed around Court 8 as British fans rallied behind their compatriot, spurring her on to a double break advantage.
The drama continued as Wang fought back, claiming one break back in the fourth game, only for Raducanu to immediately restore her advantage for a 4-1 lead.
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After extending to 5-1, Raducanu faced unexpected resistance as Wang held serve and then broke back, saving match points to make it 5-3.
The comeback attempt only seemed to fire up the Brit, who responded by securing her ninth break of the match to close out a hard-fought 7-5 4-6 6-3 victory.
Raducanu now faces an immensely challenging second-round encounter against Polish star Swiatek, a clay-court specialist who has dominated Roland-Garros in recent years.
Swiatek, currently ranked world No.5, has claimed the French Open title four times, winning in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024, establishing herself as the premier force on the Parisian clay.
Emma Raducanu did well to respond after receiving medical attention during her French Open win
REUTERS
The head-to-head record makes for sobering reading for Raducanu supporters, with Swiatek having won all four of their previous WTA Tour meetings.
Their most recent encounter came in January at the Australian Open, where Swiatek delivered a clinical performance in the round of 32, defeating Raducanu 6-1 6-0.
The British player will need to produce her finest tennis if she hopes to challenge the defending champion and secure what would be a remarkable upset.
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