Raducanu Triumphs Over Stearns in Thrilling Korea Open Clash

Emma Raducanu claimed a hard-fought victory over American Peyton Stearns in the opening round of the Korea Open in Seoul. The British tennis star, ranked 70th in the world, overcame her 48th-ranked opponent 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) in a grueling match that lasted two hours and 43 minutes.

Raducanu, who was playing her first match since her early exit at the US Open, expressed pride in her performance. “I’m proud to have made it through to the next round. It was tough and very humid,” she remarked, acknowledging the challenging nature of the match and her recent lack of game time.

The match began with Raducanu breaking Stearns in the first game, setting the tone for what would be a roller-coaster encounter. Despite dropping her serve in the next game, she broke back to lead 2-1. The fluctuating first set featured eight breaks of serve, with Raducanu eventually securing it in a tie-break after 74 minutes.

In the second set, both players saved multiple break points. Raducanu appeared to take control when she broke Stearns to lead 5-3. However, she was broken while serving for the match, and Stearns also failed to hold serve at 6-5, pushing the set into another tie-break. Raducanu clinched the win after a lengthy 89-minute second set.

With this victory, Raducanu advances to the next round, where she will face China’s Yue Yuan, currently ranked 40th in the world.