SAD:Emma Raducanu loses to Wang Yafan

Emma Raducanu says there was “no way” she was going to quit in her Grand Slam comeback as she battled valiantly before losing at the Australian Open.

Britain’s Raducanu, 21, was beaten 6-4 4-6 6-4 by China’s Wang Yafan in a second-round match where she was “throwing up” in her mouth.

Raducanu was playing only her fourth match after wrist and ankle surgeries which kept her out for eight months.

“Everything I went through last year has made me so much tougher,” she said.

“There was no way I was going to pull out. She was going to have to beat me – and she did.”

Raducanu’s exit came after Katie Boulter, who has taken over as British number one, lost to Chinese 12th seed Zheng Qinwen on the same Kia Arena court.

They were bidding to set up an all-British meeting in the third round, but instead it is the Chinese pair who will meet on Saturday.

The defeats for Raducanu and Boulter mean there are no British players left in the women’s singles.

Cameron Norrie, who fought back from two sets down to win in five sets earlier on Thursday, is the only remaining player from the nation in the singles draws.

Positive signs for Raducanu despite defeat

For any player coming back from such a long absence, it takes time to reach match sharpness and patience with their progress will be required.

With Raducanu, given the long list of physical and mental struggles she has endured since winning the 2021 US Open, even more caution is necessary.

Therefore it was unsurprising – but not necessarily worrying – to see Raducanu suffer in the deciding set of an intense battle with 94th-ranked Wang.

Raducanu looked like she was going to be sick early in the third set and had her blood pressure checked by a doctor.

Despite that, she had chances to break back in the decider but Wang held on.

Afterwards, Raducanu alleviated any concerns by saying she thought it was a stomach bug.

“All of a sudden I just felt so sick, really like weak and nauseous. Throughout the third set I think everyone could see it was a bit of a battle,” she said.

“Physically, I felt fine. It was more I was throwing up in my mouth. Now I’m OK, I’ll get over it.

“It just sucks with the timing.”

The way she scrapped throughout a three-hour contest, and showed glimpses of her undoubted quality, was encouraging and admirable.

In a testing breeze, Wang played precisely and smartly in the first set as Raducanu was made to pay for a slow start.

The former British number one was unable to recover from going a double break down and lost serve again in the first game of the second set.

When Raducanu faced two more break points at 1-1, it felt as though Wang’s solidity would be enough to win in straight sets.

But there was plenty to admire about Raducanu’s response.

She managed to increase her level, put an extra spring in her step, and immediately broke back for 2-2 at the fifth attempt.

When Wang again served into the wind at 4-3 down, Raducanu stuck in another baseline duel and finished off a 24-shot rally with a crosscourt forehand winner to move a break up.

Getting over the line was difficult. But competing on the biggest stages of all is where Raducanu wants to be and she showed her resilience.

Raducanu missed two set points on her own serve, but took a fourth opportunity in the next game to force a decider.

Both players took a breather before the third set started and Raducanu handed over an early advantage by missing a forehand which she would expect to put away.

Then came the breathing difficulties and feeling nauseous. When she trailed 2-0, she required an assessment from the doctor and the prescribing of some tablets.

Still Raducanu refused to give in. Four more break points came and went for the Briton before Wang served out to reach a Grand Slam third round for the first time.