The Australian Open delivered early drama as Emma Raducanu outlasted Elina Savinykh 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the first round. In a display of grit and skill, the 25th-seeded Briton advanced, keeping her title aspirations alive in Melbourne.
Raducanu controlled the tempo early, using her flat groundstrokes to dictate points. Savinykh responded with qualifier’s fire, breaking back repeatedly in the second set to extend the battle. The world No. 25’s error count rose, but she never lost belief.
Resetting in the breaker set, Raducanu unleashed her full repertoire. Her net approaches paid dividends, and improved depth on returns broke Savinykh’s rhythm. The final game saw Raducanu serve it out under minimal pressure, ending with a 102 winners tally to her opponent’s 78.
‘I knew it would be a fight,’ Raducanu told reporters. ‘She’s got great fight.’ This victory is more than points—it’s a statement of form for Raducanu, who next meets Wang Xiyu in a bid to reach the third round.
With top seeds falling elsewhere, the draw opens up. Raducanu’s path to the quarters looks navigable if she maintains this level. British fans dream of another fairy-tale Slam story.