Emma Raducanu emotional after comeback victory at Eastbourne: โIt meant a lot to meโ
Emma Raducanu fought back tears after resuming her Wimbledon preparations by battling back from a set down to beat American Ann Li in the first round of the Eastbourne Open.
Amid blustery conditions, the British number one, who missed last weekโs Berlin Open as she managed a back problem, triumphed 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-1.
Raducanu has been struggling with the issue since competing in Strasbourg before the French Open and took an off-court medical timeout during her quarter-final loss at Queenโs Club earlier this month.
But, aside from a slip and fall on the grass in set one, she appeared to come through her opening examination at Devonshire Park unscathed.
Victory over world No 64 Li in two hours and 18 minutesย sets up a second-round clash with 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint, who knocked out two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur on Monday.
Seventh seed Raducanu produced an emotional response after sealing progression with a fine backhand winner.
โIt feels incredible. I want to thank the crowd for getting me through some really sticky moments,โ the former US Open champion said in her on-court interview.
โIt really meant a lot to me and Iโm really proud of how I fought back after losing the first set. Iโm very, very happy to come through that.
โIt was tough, it was up and down, but from the middle of the second set I think I found another gear and another level.โ
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Earlier, Harriet Dart blew two match points on serve as she slipped to an agonising defeat to reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.
Following two suspensions of play in the opening set due to wet weather, the British No 4 moved to the brink of one of the greatest wins of her career.
But Krejcikova, who defeated Jasmine Paolini in last yearโs Wimbledon final, survived a first-round shock by hitting back to progress 6-3, 6-7 (4). 7-5 in two hours and 40 minutes.
The second seed will face another Briton in round two following Jodie Burrageโs 6-3, 6-2 win over Japanโs Moyuka Uchijima.
Dart did little to hide her frustration at failing to capitalise on the pair of match-clinching opportunities against the 2021 French Open champion, letting out a piercing scream as the following game slipped away.
The 28-year-old has only twice defeated opponents with a higher ranking than Krejcikovaโs current status of world number 17.
She upset 2024 Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina, who was then ranked ninth, in the first round of the 2022 US Open before beating then-world number 13 Paula Badosa later that year at the Billie Jean King Cup.
Dart said: โSome crazy, crazy conditions today. I was pretty close. I missed a ball on match point and then she played a really good other point on my other match point and then she becomes a bit freer. It was a tough match overall.
โMy level was 10 times better than Iโve played the last two weeks. For me thatโs more important, especially going to Wimbledon.
โOf course, Iโd like to have won today. But I was also playing a very experienced, multiple grand slam winner.โ
In the first round of the menโs draw, British qualifier George Loffhagen lost 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (1) to American Reilly Opelka.
