Emma Raducanu exited almost before she began on Monday as the Brit was dealt out of the WTA Qatar Open in a first-round loss to 30th-ranked Anhelina Kalinina 6-0, 7-6 (6).
2021 US Open winner Raducanu, whose career has taken a nosedive since that Grand Slam surprise in New York, was plagued by nearly 50 unforced errors as she went down to her Ukrainian opponent to end a so-so trip to the Gulf.
The No. 296 Brit, playing on a wild card, won a round last week in Abu Dhabi before sixth-ranked Ons Jabeur sent her packing in the second round; she will now return to London pondering her game.
Raducanu saved a pair of match points in the second set but the effort was too late in the disheartening defeat; she also fought off 10 of 15 break points against her serve.
“I was struggling with everything – serve, return, forehand, backhand,” she said.
“I felt like I never really got into it.
“It was combination of things (her first day match in a year after surgeries on wrists and a knee in 2023).
“I need to practise training outside a bit more. The lights, conditions, shadows… it is really hard to see the ball, I found towards the end.
“When my tennis isn’t there I have to try and at least fight and I did that in the second set.”
Raducanu said she has yet to get re-accustomed to the torrid pace of WTA Tour life after missing much of last season with injury.
Elsewhere on court, ninth seed Barbora Krejcikova pulled out with a back injury while Canadian – runner-up to Raducanu three years ago in the New York final, Leylah Fernandez, advanced over 12th seed Liudmila Samsonova 7-5, 7-6 after more than two hours.
She now plays Spain’s Paula Badosa, who put out teenaged old qualifier Ashlyn Krueger 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in a match concluded on Monday after being halted for rain the evening before due to rain.
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…