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Emma Raducanu’s return to the court didn’t go as planned. The 22-year-old Brit crashed out in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Open, losing in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) to 2023 Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova.
Raducanu, who snagged a last-minute wildcard into the tournament, started strong. She broke Vondrousova early and took a 3-1 lead, hinting at a possible upset.
But the momentum didn’t last. Vondrousova flipped the script, winning five games in a row to snatch the first set.
In the second set, Raducanu had chances to swing the match back in her favor, but Vondrousova, fresh off a six-month recovery from shoulder surgery, held her ground.
She saved four break points, then broke Raducanu’s serve to go up 5-3. Raducanu fought back, taking the next game to stay alive, but it wasn’t enough.
Vondrousova sealed the deal on her third match point, cutting short Raducanu’s hopes of a comeback.
