𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Emma Raducanu dug deep to progress to the second round of the National Bank Open in Montreal with a 6-2 6-4 win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Raducanu arrived at the WTA 1000 event fresh from an impressive semi-final showing at the Citi Open last week, but immediately faced five break points in her first service game.

The world number 33 weathered the storm and despite a run of six games in a row midway through the match, Raducanu was largely forced to battle and scrap to ensure she chalked up a sixth win from her last eight matches.

Raducanu was swiftly back in action after her last-four run in Washington, but quickly in trouble as Ruse forced five break points in the opening game of the match.

In more hot and humid conditions in Canada, British number one Raducanu showed her resilience and leaned on her improved serve to claim a crucial hold before more issues were forthcoming in her next service game.

After Raducanu again survived, having been taken to deuce, she sensed her moment and was able to break Ruse to move 3-2 up after the Romanian sent down two double-faults.

It sparked a run of six consecutive games for Raducanu as she clinched the opener by a 6-2 score, but an early break at the start of the second set was followed by an immediate response from Ruse.

While Raducanu forced more break points on Ruse’s serve, it was not until the seventh game of set two when the 2021 US Open champion broke again to move 4-3 ahead.

It started a run of three consecutive breaks before Raducanu kept her cool to close out victory at the first time of asking on serve after a demanding one-hour-and-37-minute battle in the country of her birth.

Next up for Raducanu is a second-round meeting with 32nd seed Peyton Stearns.