Emma Raducanu suffered a comprehensive defeat at the French Open, losing 1-6, 2-6 to defending champion Iga Swiatek in just 79 minutes.
The British number two was thoroughly outclassed by the fifth seed on Court Philippe-Chatrier, managing to win only three games across the entire match.
Raducanu simply could not keep pace with Swiatek's relentless groundstrokes and superior court coverage.
The straight-sets thrashing marked another disappointing early exit for the former US Open champion, who has struggled to find consistency against elite opposition since her breakthrough triumph in New York.
Emma Raducanu and Iga Swiatek shared a 'cold' handshake after her defeat
Reuters
Swiatek demonstrated why she remains the undisputed Queen of Clay with a ruthless performance that extended her Roland Garros winning streak to 23 matches.
The Polish fourth-time champion struck 31 winners compared to Raducanu's meagre eight, showcasing the gulf in class between the pair.
Despite playing with her lowest seeding at a Grand Slam since the 2022 Australian Open, Swiatek found her old French Open form to outclass the British player.
The world number five made light work of Raducanu, dispatching anything short with clinical precision whilst maintaining relentless pressure throughout the 79-minute encounter.
This defeat marked Raducanu's fifth consecutive loss to the former world number one, with the British player yet to win a single set across all their encounters.
The world number 41 has now won just two matches in her two Roland Garros appearances since her 2022 debut, having missed the 2023 tournament through injury.
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Raducanu failed to convert any of her four break points against Swiatek, highlighting her ongoing struggles against top-level opposition.
After missing 2023 through injury and choosing not to play qualifiers last year, the British number two continues to find the step up to elite competition challenging.
The post-match handshake between the players was notably frosty, with former British number one Annabel Croft observing: "That was quite a cold handshake. There was no warmth there between the two players.
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"It was quite dismissive, almost just a handshake and then a walk off."
Raducanu's part-time coach Mark Petchey was present in her player box after missing her opening win due to television commitments.
Petchey had recently made technical adjustments to Raducanu's game, adding weight to her racquet and changing her service action.
He acknowledged the work ahead, stating: "Emma, at this stage of her career, despite what she's already achieved, has some work ahead of her to be the best player that she can be."
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