Emma Raducanu secured a hard-earned victory over Peyton Stearns in the first round of the Korea Open in Seoul, prevailing in a challenging two-set match. The British player, ranked 70th in the world, triumphed with scores of 7-6 (7-4) and 7-6 (7-5) after a grueling two hours and 43 minutes on court. This win comes as Raducanu’s first match since her early exit from the US Open.
Raducanu, reflecting on the match, expressed satisfaction with her performance, acknowledging the demanding conditions. “I’m proud to have made it through to the next round. It was tough and very humid,” she said. Raducanu noted the difficulties she faced due to limited match play in recent months and praised Stearns for her strong form.
The match began with Raducanu taking control by breaking Stearns in the opening game. Despite losing her own serve shortly after, Raducanu managed to break Stearns again to take a 2-1 lead. The first set was marked by volatility, with eight breaks of serve before Raducanu clinched it on a tie-break after 74 minutes.
The second set was equally contested, with both players saving break points. Raducanu managed to break Stearns’ serve to lead 5-3 but was broken when serving for the match. Stearns also faltered while serving at 6-5, leading to another tie-break. Raducanu ultimately secured the second set and the match in the tie-break, which lasted 89 minutes.
With this victory, Raducanu advances to the next round, where she will face Yue Yuan of China, who is currently ranked 40th in the world. The upcoming match promises to be another challenging test for Raducanu as she continues her campaign at the Korea Open.
