Raducanu battles through to Korea Open last 16 past Stearns

Britain’s Emma Raducanu is through to the last 16 of the Korea Open in Seoul after a dogged performance saw her to a 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-5) victory over American Peyton Stearns, live on Sky Sports Tennis.

A battle of an opening set saw Raducanu eventually claim it via a tiebreak, having passed up a number of chances to seal it beforehand.

Indeed, the 21-year-old broke Stearns three times en route to a 4-1 advantage, with the chance to move 5-1 up on serve, but then lost the next four games to fall 5-4 behind.

The Brit held and broke again for the chance to serve for the set at 6-5, but from a position of three set points at 40-0, her first serve deserted her to eventually lose the game and enter the tiebreak.

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Martina Navratilova believes Raducanu should take ownership of her tennis career as she answers fans’ questions

Raducanu showed brilliant composure to clinch the set 7-4 in the tiebreak, however, and pushed on in the second to force a break and the chance to serve for the match at 5-3.

No match points were forthcoming for Raducanu, though, as Stearns got out to 15-40, and though Raducanu forced deuce, the American was not to be denied the break for 5-4.

From there, Stearns held and broke Raducanu again to bring up the chance to serve for the set and level the match, only for Raducanu to do superbly to break straight back to love and force another tiebreak, taking control from that point on to ultimately confirm victory.

Raducanu will next face China’s Yuan Yue for a place in the quarter-finals after the latter came from behind to beat Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse 4-6 6-2 6-2.

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Raducanu played a lovely slice to regain control in the first-set tiebreak against Stearns in Seoul

Raducanu: It was a tough match to get through in humidity

Raducanu speaking courtside on Sky Sports Tennis…

“I’m proud to have made it through to the next round.

“It was tough. It was very humid, the ball was bouncing around a lot, and it was a tough match to get through.

“I haven’t played many matches in the last few months, and Peyton is a really good player in really good form, so I’m pretty pleased.

“I love to play in Seoul and I actually think it gave me some fuel to fight in that match to play again in front of you guys.”

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Raducanu reacts to her straight sets 7-6 7-6 victory over Peyton at the Korea Open

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Tim Henman believes Raducanu’s game is heading in the right direction

What is coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in September?

  • Korea Open – WTA 500 (16 to 22 September – with Emma Raducanu in action)
  • Thailand Open – WTA 250 (16 to 22 September)
  • Chengdu Open – ATP 250 (17 to 24 September)
  • Hangzhou Open – ATP 250 (18 to 24 September)
  • Japan Open – ATP 500 (25 September to 1 October)
  • China Open – ATP 500 (26 September to 2 October)
  • China Open – WTA 1000 (25 September to 6 October)

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Source : Sky Sports

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