'Sad to see': Tennis fans shattered over Emma Raducanu drama
Tennis fans are concerned for the health of Emma Raducanu after the US Open champion was forced to retire from her first-round contest against Daria Saville at the Abierto of Zapopan in Mexico.
In what was still the longest match of the WTA season so far, Raducanu was forced to pull the pin at 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 4-3 in the deciding set.
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The taxing opening round showdown stretched over three hours and 36 minutes, before Raducanu - sporting a heavily taped left leg - was forced to retire.
Raducanu was playing her first match since a hand blister left her hampered in a three-set loss to Danka Kovinic in the second round of the Australian Open.
She and Saville both came into the match desperate for court time.
But not in their wildest dreams could they have envisaged such a gruelling and taxing encounter.
The British teen took the first set after 80 minutes, coming back from an early break before Saville struck back in a similar fashion in the second set.
Raducanu served for the match at 5-3 but Saville's trademark grittiness emerged to force a tiebreak, before the Aussie closed out another 80-minute set.
Having battled for over two hours and 40 minutes, both women warded off physical distress in the deciding set.
After falling behind 2-0, Saville fought through leg cramps to hold serve to get on the board.
And she parlayed that momentum into a 3-2 lead before Raducanu took an off-court medical timeout.
Fans worried about Emma Raducanu retirement
Raducanu returned to the court with her upper left leg taped and bravely played two more games before making the decision to retire down a break at 4-3.
Fans took to social media in numbers to express their concern for the 19-year-old.
Very sad to see her π’
Cusp of winning
Then the injury
Though I think
Even though it happened
She learnt a lot
It was over 3hr match
Recover
Come out firing
In the next tournament
Emma β€οΈ
Raducanuβ Steve Adams (@SteveAd13487346) February 23, 2022
so so sad, big ups to Saville for pushing to the third and best wishes to Raducanu. Her future is so bright https://t.co/0Ie4CCoKZ5
β Anna says thank you Press & Dunn (@gnocci_fc) February 23, 2022
Just watched extended highlights of Raducanu / Saville.
*deep breath*
Itβs painful.
Hitting that much FH open stance, as she does, without variation, close to the baseline, in high altitude, is impossibly tough on the body.
This tournament was the worst possible thing for her.β Amy Lundy Dahl (@AmyLundyDahl) February 23, 2022
Emma Raducanu is out of the Guadalajara Open after retiring hurt π²π½
The Brit was 4-3 down in the final set to Daria Saville, but became hampered by a hip problem π©Ή
The encounter lasted three hours and 36 minutes, making it the longest match of the WTA season so far π² pic.twitter.com/IQCiC561g6β GiveMeSportW (@GiveMeSportW) February 23, 2022
This is worrying.
Emma Raducanu retires as Daria Saville reigns in longest match of WTA season
https://t.co/Ecbj0403Syβ Geoff(Disenfranchised Socialist) (@gplondon) February 23, 2022
@Emma_Raducanu_ I hope the hip recovers quickly. It looked a really punishing match with Daria Saville Guadalajara. Rest well.
β Cherry Chimes (@CherryChimes) February 23, 2022
Agree. Worried about her.
β TennisProf (@LinebargerDavid) February 23, 2022
Before Saville's win, the longest match of 2022 lasted three hours and nine minutes and was won by Danka Kovinic over Jang Su-Jeong 6-3 2-6 6-4 at the Australian Open.
"This is probably the first match in a long time when I felt like I was being myself," Saville said afterwards.
"I was being feisty Dasha. I just want to keep on working and keep on going here."
The Aussie, who reached a career-high of No.20 in 2017, is on her way back up the rankings after surgery on her achilles tendon.
The 27-year-old is now ranked No.610 as she celebrates her first main-draw win at a tour-level event since the 2021 Australian Open.
Saville will face American qualifier Caroline Dolehide in the second round.
with agencies
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