Emma Raducanu overcame serving issues to upset 26th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova to reach the second round of the Australian Open.
The 22-year-old joked her serve had “a mind of its own” as she hit 15 double faults but edged an erratic match to post her best win at Melbourne Park, seeing off 31st-ranked Russian Alexandrova 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-2).
Raducanu’s victory made it five British players through to the second round, equalling the record here with British No 1 Katie Boulter still to come.
Raducanu came into the season feeling the effects of a back spasm that prompted her to pull out of her planned opening tournament in Auckland, while she missed two months late last year with a foot injury, so this was a good physical test.
The 22-year-old has been working to improve her serve with coach Nick Cavaday, but it is certainly not the finished article.
“I’m not sure what I changed in my serve today,” said Raducanu, who was playing outdoors for the first time since Seoul in September. “I think it had a mind of its own. I will be sure to reflect, look at that and come back to you.
“I think in the first set I was hitting a lot of good first serves. I hit a few aces. At the same time, I was hitting a double fault. I was quite accepting of that: ‘OK, I’m at least going for it’.”
Raducanu’s enduring popularity was evidenced by big queues outside Court 3 as the match began under a cloudless Melbourne sky.
The former US Open champion’s serve is a work in progress and her first two service games saw her produce five aces and four double faults.
From there the balance skewed to the negative side and heading into the tie-break she was winning fewer than 10 per cent of points on her second serve, while her double fault count had hit nine, including three in one game at 4-4.
Alexandrova, a big ball striker with a relentlessly negative demeanour, broke serve four times in a row but holding her own delivery proved equally challenging, with Raducanu’s return game in good shape.
Raducanu was pegged back from 4-2 to 4-4 in the tie-break, but won just her third point of the set on second serve at a crucial moment thanks to a wayward return. A forehand return drilled into the corner clinched the set.
Raducanu seemed to have settled on serve and another break of her opponent put the British No 2 immediately in the ascendancy in the second set.
She survived three more double faults at 3-2, turning to coach Nick Cavaday for advice, and was broken at 4-3 but forged ahead again to leave herself serving for the match.
At 30-0, she was two points away, but she could not create a match point and yet another double fault put Alexandrova back on serve.
Raducanu then had to save a set point to force a tie-break but from there was almost faultless, with a final double fault on her first match point the only blemish.
“My goal this year, it’s not to be too high or too low, keeping pretty level. Even after today, it’s great to win a match on tour for the first time in a few months. I think I just want to look at it, celebrate it for what it is, and just kind of move on,” she said.
“It was good to be able to rely on other parts of my game today that I know are quite strong, as well,” added Raducanu, who also sent down nine aces.
“I’m just proud I didn’t let it affect me too much and let the match run away from me.”
Raducanu next faces fellow teenage prodigy Amanda Anisimova, who has taken time out of the game for her mental health after reaching the French Open semi-finals in 2019.
“I know she’s a big ball-striker,” Raducanu said. “I practiced with her a couple times. She likes to dictate. So I think it’s going to be a big challenge for me.
“I’ve had experience having teething problems with it and then being able to come back and fix it for the next match. I’m looking forward to getting back out on the court tomorrow and working on it.”
Norrie unable to add to British success in Melbourne
Cameron Norrie suffered a first-round loss to Matteo Berrettini
Cameron Norrie was unable to add to the British victories, suffering defeat in the opening round against former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini.
It was a tough draw for the British No 2, with Berrettini a semi-finalist at Melbourne Park three years ago and heading back up the rankings following injury troubles.
The Italian hammered down 32 aces and recovered from a set down to claim a 6-7 (7-4) 6-4 6-1 6-3 victory.
Norrie saved a set point at 5-6 in the opener before staging a fine comeback in the tie-break, winning six points in a row from 4-1 down.
But from there the pressure on his serve told, Berrettini taking five of 13 break points across the final three sets, while Norrie was unable to convert any of his five chances in the match.
Norrie, who will drop outside the top 60 having reached the fourth round last year, rued the timing, saying: “I haven’t been able to prepare as well as I could.
“I’ve been pretty sick in Auckland (last week), then coming here. Just barely practised. Honestly, I’ve been feeling the ball so well. Pre-season was excellent. It was a bit unfortunate with the timing.
“I definitely gave myself the best chance. Just hit the wall after an hour and a bit. I was not able to stay sharp on the court. It’s a bit disappointing. Most importantly, just get my health back to 100 per cent, get some rest.”
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