Despite living in the UK, Emma Raducanu describes the testing weather conditions at the ASB Classic on Tuesday as a new experience for her.
The former US Open champion had to endure two rain delays during her first-round match against Czech teenage star Linda Fruhvirtova before prevailing 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Raducanu was a set and a break down before clawing her way back. Then in the decider, she won five games in a row which gave her enough of a margin to seal the win.
Besides Fruhvirtova, the 20-year-old also had to contend with adverse conditions with it being the first time she has played a match on Tour that had to be stopped twice.
“I’m really not that used to them, we just play indoors in the UK! It’s not like we’re putting ourselves out there for that,” Raducanu said.
“For me, it was very new to have two rain delays. I don’t think it’s ever happened to me.
“It was a testing match, to stay focussed for that amount of time and not switch off, then stopping and starting again and being right back on it, because you’re in the middle of a game.”
Overall, in her first match of 2023 Raducanu won 65% of her first service points and saved four out of the seven break points she faced. She was on the court for two hours and 33 minutes but due to the rain delays, the match actually took around four hours to complete.
Whilst the conditions were far from ideal, the opposite can be said about the reception Raducanu received from fans at the tournament. She credits the crowd her helping her through her first round match.
“I was loving the support,” she said.
“I was very surprised, but I was absolutely here for it. I felt like I was almost playing in the UK.
“I felt like everyone was behind me and I absolutely loved it. Some moments it was tricky in the score and I would hear a young kid say ‘Come on Emma’ and I was like, come on, let’s go.”
Raducanu will be hoping to have the same level of support in her next match which will be against qualifier Viktoria Kuzmova, who stunned No 4 seed Bernarda Pera 6-4, 6-4, earlier in the day.
This week Raducanu is seeking to win her first title since the 2021 US Open. Last season she won 17 out of 35 Tour matches played with her best tournament result being a run to the semi-finals of the Korean Open.
Raducanu is currently ranked 78th in the WTA standings.
