Emma Raducanu returned to competition after more than two months and lost in the first round of the Strasbourg Open to France’s Diane Parry, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Raducanu fought hard but could not convert early opportunities, and Parry dominated with forehand play and effective variation that kept Raducanu uncomfortable. Raducanu had not competed since an early March straight-sets loss to Amanda Anisimova at Indian Wells and had been sidelined by post-viral illness. She had considered returning at the Italian Open but withdrew after training on-site. The tournament also marked her first since rehiring Andrew Richardson as coach, who provided constant strategic guidance from the player box. The key issue ahead is whether they can work together consistently over time.
"Emma Raducanu’s return to competition for the first time in more than two months ended in a frustrating defeat as she fought hard but failed to convert a string of early opportunities, eventually falling 6-4, 7-6 (4) to France's Diane Parry in the first round of the Strasbourg Open."
"She was outplayed here by a talented and accomplished clay-courter in Parry, the world No 94, who dominated with her forehand while effectively using her variation to keep Raducanu uncomfortable. Raducanu, who has fallen slightly to No 37 in the WTA rankings, had been sidelined due to post-viral illness, with her symptoms dating back to the virus she struggled with in February during the Middle East swing."
"She had considered returning to competition at the Italian Open two weeks ago, but after training on-site, she chose to withdraw. This week also marks her first tournament since rehiring Andrew Richardson as her coach after spending a few weeks with Richardson training on clay at the Ferrer academy in La Nucia, Spain, his previous base, during the early stages of her recovery."
"Richardson was vocal throughout the match from Raducanu's player box on the corner of the court, feeding his charge with a steady stream of strategic advice and encouragement. The last time Richardson and Raducanu were together on a match court, the pair were holding the US Open trophy on Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2021 after combining to pull off one of the most remarkable, shocking results in the history of the sport despite working together for less than two months."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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