Emma Raducanu rallied from a slow start to defeat Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-4, 6-1 in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday. The British No. 2 was 1-3 down and facing double break point in the opening set before turning the match around.
Raducanu praised her opponent, saying: “I feel very happy to have gotten through the match. From the beginning, I felt like she was playing incredibly well. All of her returns and shots seemed to fall on the baseline.” Sawangkaew, ranked 196, was making her Grand Slam main-draw debut.
The 2021 US Open champion also addressed her late-night practice schedule after arriving in Melbourne only on Friday, following a flight delay. “I’m a night owl, but not to play,” she joked. “Half the battle for me is how to arrange the day. Today I actually felt really good before the match.”
Raducanu will next face Austria’s Anastasia Potapova, who is ranked 55 but has been as high as 21. A potential third-round clash with top seed Aryna Sabalenka looms. Sabalenka began her campaign with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over French wildcard Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
