Emma Raducanu suffered a tough defeat at the Cincinnati Open, falling to the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, in a close third-round match.
The match on Monday marked the second encounter between both players this year, following Sabalenka’s victory in their third-round match at Wimbledon.
The match in Cincinnati was equally exciting, extending for more than three hours. Raducanu took the experienced 27-year-old player to a tiebreak in the third set.
In a tense final, Sabalenka emerged victorious with a score of 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.
On her way to the third round, Raducanu defeated Olga Danilovic in the previous match. This was her first meeting since Francis Roig, former coach of Rafael Nadal, joined her team.
The British tennis player started strong, securing her first break point in the second game of the first set. However, Sabalenka responded with her own break and soon equalized the score.
Sabalenka seemed to take control of the match, breaking Raducanu’s serve again and winning four consecutive games. However, Raducanu managed to tie 4-4 and demonstrated her strength by winning the ninth game after a long deuce.
The intense battle led Sabalenka to a tiebreak, where she withstood the strong resistance of the Briton to secure the first set in less than an hour.
The second set was equally contested, with both players holding serve in the early stages. Raducanu managed to change the course by winning a break point in the seventh game, taking the lead.
The Brit closed the set with an ace, tying the match.
The third set maintained the excitement, with both players defending their serve. The eighth game was memorable, with 13 deuces and Sabalenka unable to convert four break points before Raducanu won the game.
For the second time in the match, the set was decided in a tiebreak, where Sabalenka, with her second match point, advanced to the next round.
The world number one will face Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the round of 16, after the Spaniard defeated Taylor Townsend on the same Monday.
