Iga Swiatek handed Emma Raducanu the joint-heaviest defeat of her career in their Australian Open third round encounter.
It was a one-sided affair as the second seed thrashed Britain’s Raducanu 6-1 6-0.
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It was the same scoreline as Raducanu’s previous heaviest-ever defeat by Elena Rybakina in Sydney three years ago.
Raducanu lost her serve five times, allowing Swiatek to secure the 78th bagel of her senior career – a term used to describe a 6-0 set.
Swiatek is now scheduled to face Eva Lys, ranked 128th, in the fourth round.
“I think she played very well, but I also think that I didn’t play very well, so it’s just not a great combination,” said world no. 61 Raducanu.
“Of course, if a top player is playing perfect, it’s going to be a difficult match already. And yeah, I just want to work on certain things and make them better and more consistent.”
She added: “The scoreline was obviously quite harsh. I’m very clear on what happened out there. If I’m not necessarily able to hold my service games or dictate, I feel like it seeps into the rest of my game.
“On my second serves, how the point is structured from then on, and in the return games, you feel a lot more pressure. That was probably a big aspect today.”
Raducanu had progressed to the third round of the Australian Open for the first time in her career with two straight sets wins over Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 26th seed, and Amanda Anisimova.
They were gritty matches but Raducanu displayed a fighting spirit that seemed to be lacking at points last season.
As a five-time Grand Slam champion, Swiatek had the odds in favour going into the match up with former US Open champion Raducanu.
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Swiatek has never been past the Melbourne semi-finals but her recent performance was a warning sign to rivals.
Speaking after her victory, she said: “I felt great. I felt like the ball is listening to me. So just pretty loosened up. At the end I felt like all the tactics and everything I wanted to do, I was able to. So I just kept going.”
Swiatek is yet to drop a set or even a service game in the competition.
Raducanu should take solace in playing three gruelling matches despite suffering from back spasms in preseason.
However, she was in no mood to blame her long-standing injury problems.
“There are no excuses with the back or physically,” said Raducanu, who only began hitting again three weeks ago.
“Given the preparation we had, we have to be grateful to be in this position.”
Emma Raducanu equals unwanted record in Australian Open hammering
Emma Raducanu’s disappointing performance in the Australian Open has led to her equalling an unwanted record. The British tennis star suffered a crushing defeat in the second round, further highlighting the challenges she has faced on the court.
Despite her young age and promising talent, Raducanu’s lacklustre performance in the tournament has left fans and critics questioning her abilities. Many have pointed to her struggles with consistency and mental toughness as contributing factors to her early exit.
While Raducanu may have faced tough opponents and difficult circumstances, there are no excuses for her underwhelming results. As a professional athlete, she is expected to perform at a high level and overcome any obstacles that come her way.
It is clear that Raducanu will need to regroup and refocus in order to bounce back from this setback. With hard work, determination, and a positive mindset, she can turn her fortunes around and achieve success on the tennis court.
No excuses will be accepted for Raducanu’s lack of performance in the Australian Open. It is up to her to rise to the challenge and prove her critics wrong in the upcoming tournaments. Only time will tell if she can live up to the expectations set for her.
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