Emma Raducanu in second round action Australian Open Tennis 2022 Melbourne Park, Australia Day 4 Thursday 20 January 2022 PHOTO BY KARL WINTER
Emma Raducanu was forced to retire in the final set of a marathon match in Mexico on Tuesday, going down 5-7 7-6 (4) 4-3 to Australian Daria Saville in three hours and 36 minutes.
It was Raducanu’s first competitive outing since bowing out at the Australian Open lat month and the longest match of the WTA season so far.
Raducanu took the opening set after a tough 80 minutes in Guadalajara and served for the match at 5-3 in the second but Saville broke back to force a tiebreak which she won.
Both women were clearly under strain in the decider, with the altitude a major factor, Saville battling leg cramps as Raducanu took an off-court medical timeout.
The world number 12 returned to the court with her upper left leg taped and played two more games before deciding to retire.
Doping sanction victim Simona Halep has gone online to protest her own treatment by anti-doping…
Rafael Nadal lined up for what was to be the final match of his career…
Jannik Sinner took charge in front of his home crowd on Sunday, crushing ATP Finals…
Daniil Medvedev went into meltdown mode on Sunday during a highly charged 6-4, 6-3 loss, with opponent…
Jannik Sinner could well be missing from the opening European clay event of next season…
Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his career next month as he plays his…