Britain’s Emma Raducanu crashes out of Australian Open in defeat to Yafan Wang of China 

Emma Raducanu suffered a defeat in the Australian Open against Yafan Wang, marking the end of her campaign in Melbourne. Despite a valiant effort to stage a comeback, Raducanu faced challenges with her health towards the end of the match. The British player, who recently returned to tennis after undergoing three surgeries in the previous year, matched her previous second-round exits in Melbourne from the last two years.

After falling behind a set and a break, Raducanu fought back to force a decisive set. However, her physical struggles allowed Wang to seize the opportunity and secure a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory. Wang will now advance to face compatriot Qinwen Zheng, who earlier defeated Katie Boulter in straight sets. With Raducanu’s exit, there is no longer any British representation in the women’s singles at the Australian Open.

Raducanu, who expressed confidence in her improved skills post-surgeries, will likely be concerned about her fitness and a noticeable decrease in power from her forehand, which was a key strength during her 2021 US Open triumph. Despite the setback, the 21-year-old is expected to return to action in February, possibly in tournaments in Doha or Dubai.

Wang took control early in the match, breaking Raducanu in the third game and maintaining dominance throughout the first set. Raducanu showed resilience in the second set, staging a remarkable comeback after initially struggling on serve. The set featured a crucial 11-minute fourth game, where Raducanu secured a break and eventually took the set to force a decider.

However, in the third set, Wang quickly broke Raducanu as the British player faced health issues, including feeling unwell. Despite Raducanu’s determined effort, she couldn’t secure the necessary break, and Wang emerged victorious in a thrilling second-round encounter.