Britain’s Emma Raducanu misplaced within the first spherical of the Abu Dhabi Open as she went down in straight units to former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.
Raducanu, 22, was crushed 6-3 6-4 as she proved unable to reap the benefits of her late wildcard entry to the principle draw.
She made a constructive begin towards Czech Vondrousova and led 3-1 after an early break of serve, however she then surrendered the primary set by dropping 5 consecutive video games.
Vondrousova, who returned from a six-month lay-off in January following shoulder surgical procedure, saved 4 break factors early within the second set earlier than breaking for a 5-3 lead and the prospect to serve out the match.
Whereas Raducanu supplied a right away response to remain in competition by profitable the following recreation, the 2021 US Open champion’s hopes of creating a comeback had been quickly ended.
It was throughout when Vondrousova, the 2023 winner at Wimbledon, clinched her third match level.
Raducanu was promoted into the principle 28-player area in Abu Dhabi on the weekend, having initially been set to compete in qualifying for the primary time since her fairytale run in New York three and a half years in the past.
The world quantity 56 reached the third spherical of the Australian Open final month. She climbed again into the world’s prime 60 final yr after lacking many of the 2023 season following surgical procedure on each wrists and her left ankle.
Vondrousova will play Kazakh fourth seed Yulia Putintseva subsequent.
On the Transylvania Open in Romania, Briton Jodie Burrage was crushed 6-2 6-3 by dwelling participant Ana Bogdan.
Following a first-round defeat at that event, Romania’s two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep introduced her retirement from tennis.
British males’s quantity two Cameron Norrie made a profitable begin on the Dallas Open.
The 29-year-old Norrie, ranked 63, saved 11 break factors on his solution to defeating American seventh seed Alex Michelsen 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-1.
He’ll meet American Reilly Opelka or Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko subsequent.
In the meantime, in Rotterdam, males’s world quantity three Carlos Alcaraz took revenge on Botic van de Zandschulp following his shock US Open loss final yr.
Spanish 21-year-old Alcaraz overcame his Dutch opponent in a deciding third set, finally progressing with a 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-1 win.
