Emma Raducanu crashes out of Eastbourne to Russian star in final match before Wimbledon
Emma Raducanu will now turn her attention to Wimbledon after being knocked out of Eastbourne.
Emma Raducanu’s positive Eastbourne run came to an end after she was beaten by Daria Kasatkina. The British tennis star will now turn her attention to her first Wimbledon since 2022 after being dumped out of the Rothesay International by the Russian star.
There were hugely positive signs for Raducanu on the South Coast this week. She secured her first career win over a top-10 ranked player by beating Jessica Pegula. After that match, the 21-year-old wrote “New Start” on a camera lens.
But her run came to an end in her very next match as she was defeated by last year’s Easbourne finalist Kasatkina. The 27-year-old won their quarter-final 6-2 6-2 and will now enter the last-four.
Raducanu will be buoyed by aspects of her performance despite a relatively comfortable defeat. The 2021 US Open champion looked robust and strong and was able to maintain her composure during several lengthy rallies.
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Her performances in Eastbourne have partially justified her decision to start her grass court season early, choosing not to enter the French Open in May.
Raducanu has endured a tough two years since her US Open triumph. She was beaten in the second round at Wimbledon the following summer and, in 2023, underwent three separate surgeries in a bid to overcome ongoing injury issues.
At Eastbourne, Raducanu breezed past the experienced American Sloane Stephens in the first round. She then overcame Pegula in the second round, which was remarkably her first career victory over a player ranked in the WTA’s top 10.
“New start” was the message Raducanu was keen for viewers to see on their television screens after the match. The Bromley-based star has reinforced that she has adopted a more positive mentality after overcoming fitness and form struggles.
Raducanu has not competed at Wimbledon for two years, having been recovering from surgery for last year’s Championships. It was at the 2021 edition of the tournament when she properly announced herself to the British public.
A run to the fourth round, where she retired against Ajla Tomljanovic on centre court, was her first taste of a Grand Slam. She infamously went on to win the US Open later that year despite beginning the tournament as a qualifier.
Raducanu was one of four former Grand Slam champions to be given a wildcard for Wimbledon. She has climbed to 168th in the WTA rankings due to her grass-court form.
