ASB Classic: Svitolina outlasts Raducanu in marathon to reach quarter-finals
The Ukrainian will face No 5 seed Marie Bouzkova for a spot in the semi-finals
Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic
The much-awaited second round encounter between former world No 3 Elina Svitolina and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu at the ASB Classic in Auckland lived up to all the hype and produced some brilliant tennis between two of the most popular players on the women’s tour.
Raducanu, playing her first tournament since April last year due to multiple surgeries on her ankles and wrists, started the match on a strong note, blasting her groundstrokes immaculately to take a 5-2 lead. Svitolina, who returned to the tour last year after a maternity break and was voted WTA Comeback Player of the Year award, fought back to push the set into a tiebreak. But it was the 21-year-old Brit who came out on tops to take a one-set lead.
In the second set, it was Svitolina who jumped out to an early 3-1 lead only to see Raducanu fight back to take the set into another tiebreaker. The Brit looked close to victory as she jumped to a 3-1 lead before the Ukrainian won six points in a row to level the match at a set apiece.
In the decider, Raducanu ran out of steam as Svitolina jumped to a 5-0 lead and then closed out the match 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-1 in two hours and 50 minutes.
Svitolina, ranked No 25 in the world, will face No 5 seed Marie Bouzkova on Friday for a spot in the semi-finals. Ahead of her win today, the Ukrainian won against another former Grand Slam winner – Caroline Wozniacki (6-4, 6-3) – in the first round.
Raducanu, ranked No 301 in the world, edged out Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse (6-3, 4-6, 7-5) in the previous round. Despite the loss, the early signs in her comeback are promising for the Brit, who is assured of a direct entry into the Australian Open later this month.
