Australian Open: Resolute Raducanu beaten in epic by Yafan Wang

The Briton put in a hugely impressive performance, but ultimately fell short against Wang in a long and physical encounter

18 January 2024

Emma Raducanu, AO 2023 AI/Reuters/Panoramic

Jamie Malachy

Australian Open •Second round • completed

See draw

E. RaducanuvsY. Wang

Yafan Wang overcame an excellent performance from the returning Emma Raducanu, eventually beating the Briton 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in an epic encounter to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

In a match that lasted just six minutes shy of three hours, Raducanu went toe-to-toe with the world No 94 in a high-quality and enthralling contest.

Wang played well above her ranking as she backed up her impressive victory against 22nd seed Sorana Cirstea in the first round with another brilliant showing on the 1573 Arena.

Raducanu, only playing her fourth match after more than eight months out following ankle and wrist surgery, equalled her opponent throughout much of the contest as both players put on a display worthy of either of the two main show courts.

Excellent raducanu pushes wang close in captivating encounter

In blustery conditions, Wang took charge early on, breaking Raducanu twice en route to a 5-2 lead in the opening set. The former world No 11 hit back in the eight game to recapture one of the breaks, before Wang served out for a one-set lead.

Raducanu was then in further peril at 2-0 and 15-40 down on her serve at the start of the second set, facing two break points for what would have almost certainly been a terminal double-break deficit.

But she showed grit and determination in abundance – as well as a superb selection of shot placement – to save both break points for a vital hold.

Raducanu then came out on top of a ten-minute fourth game to break Wang’s serve at the fourth time of asking to restore parity in an epic middle stanza.

Defeat for Emma Raducanu in a thriller at the @AustralianOpen

But what an effort, and great to see Emma back in action at a Grand Slam 👏#BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/T7SHNPfWZW
— LTA (@the_LTA) January 18, 2024

From that point on, Raducanu’s game was flowing beautifully, with angled cross-court winners being mixed with some delightful forecourt net play to display the full array of the 2021 US Open champion’s considerable repertoire.

Wang’s serve remained under extreme pressure for the rest of the set, with the Chinese player saving break point in the sixth game before finally succumbing in game eight, with Raducanu’s precise and incisive groundstrokes proving too much for Wang to handle.

But the Chinese world No 94 came back fighting in the next game, saving two set points en route to breaking Raducanu as she served for the set.

Raducanu was not to be denied after all the hard work she had invested in an epic middle set, however, and broke Wang for the third time in the match on her fourth set point to ensure parity was restored following a 65-minute set.

physical demands take their toll on raducanu in decider

Wang struck first in the final stanza, breaking Raducanu in her opening service game as the Briton began to visibly struggle with the physicality of such an intense match.

To her great credit, Raducanu hung onto her serve for the remainder of that third set, pushing Wang close in another ten-minute tussle on Wang’s serve in the fourth game.

But it was to be for Raducanu, who could not find the crucial break back this time after nearly three hours on court. Wang held serve at 5-4 to earn one of the toughest wins of her career and move into the third round.

impressive return sets up promising 2024 for raducanu

There are many positives for Raducanu to take from both this match and the other three she has played on her comeback trail. Two wins and two very close losses against quality opposition is a fine return after eight months on the sidelines.

It all bodes very well for the 21-year-old and sets up the realistic prospect of a highly successful 2024.

For Wang, her reward for such a hard-fought win is a another challenging match-up in round three – this time against her compatriot and Chinese No 1 Qinwen Zheng.

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