Emma Raducanu overcame a slow start with a stunning run of 11 consecutive games to reach the quarter-finals of the Transylvania Open in Romania.
The British No1 was 0-5 down after 25 minutes of her second-round match against Kaja Juvan, the world No97 from Slovenia, and was visibly upset with herself during the change of ends.
A remarkable turnaround then followed. Juvan suddenly tightened up and failed to take three opportunities to serve out the first set, with Raducanu finding her range off the ground to level at 5-5 before stealing the set.
Raducanu lost only one more game after this, when she was serving at 4-0 in the second set, and raced to a 7-5, 6-1 victory. It is the first time she has won back-to-back matches since the US Open last August.
Raducanu is the top seed at the WTA 250 tournament in Transylvania
HORVATH TAMAS/GETTY IMAGES
Following last week’s split with coach Francisco Roig, Raducanu is continuing with her switch this week to a more attacking approach. She missed several groundstrokes in the early stages against Juvan before settling into her rhythm from the baseline, recording a total of 14 winners.
“Kaja was playing some great tennis and was putting me on the back foot straight away,” Raducanu said. “I thought I was being aggressive, going for my shots, but I was missing and not executing.
“At least I could say I was trying to play on my terms. That was the goal for me. And I don’t think I’ve ever come back from 5-0 down before, so that’s a first to add to the experience.”
The draw has opened up for Raducanu as she next faces Maja Chwalinska, a Polish qualifier ranked No146, in Thursday’s quarter-finals. Seeded No1 this week at a ranking of No30, Raducanu is bidding to win her first WTA tour title since the 2021 US Open.
“I have got to try and recover straight away,” Raducanu said. “It’s not much time to turn over but hopefully I can find some energy.”
This is a good week for Britain’s female players. Sonay Kartal reached the last eight of the Abu Dhabi Open with a 6-0, 6-3 win against Renata Zarazua, while Katie Boulter progressed to the same stage of the Ostrava Open by seeing off Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-2.