Emma Raducanu Finds Reasons To Be 'Proud' After Shock Loss In Singapore
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Emma Raducanu was not downbeat after losing in the opening round of the Singapore Open against Cristina Bucsa. Surprisingly, the Briton felt her performance was better than anything she managed at the Australian Open.
The match in Singapore against Bucsa was Raducanu's first since winning just one game against Iga Swiatek in the third round of the Australian Open. Although the Pole played superbly, Raducanu not rating her level in that contest was understandable.
However, Raducanu had two great victories in Melbourne before that. She overcame the seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6, 7-6 after playing more of the significant points better than her big-serving opponent.
The former US Open champion played even better to beat the extremely powerful Amanda Anisimova. Raducanu's athleticism and defensive skills to weather the American's firepower were outstanding.
Most agreed that Raducanu's performance against Anisimova was one of her best since returning from severe wrist and ankle injuries at the start of 2024. However, her verdict after losing to Bucsa in Singapore indicates she thinks differently.
Raducanu lost a brutal three-hour battle to Bucsa 5-7, 7-5, 7-5. Her Spanish opponent played at a good level and came out on top in several intense rallies to secure an impressive triumph and a place in the next round.
Having said that, Raducanu's performance looked to be worse than in the matches against Alexandrova and Anisimova, but the Briton disagreed. She told the media that losing felt ironic because her performance was better than at the Australian Open.
"I think I’m in a pretty good place with everything and I think I actually played better than I did in Melbourne, so that is ironic. I think it was really small margins in it. I honestly thought I played pretty well today. She just played unbelievable and, credit to her, she kept it up the whole match."
The match against Bucsa was also Raducanu's first since splitting with her coach, Nick Cavaday. He stepped away for health reasons and wants to spend more time with his family.
Raducanu traveled to Singapore with her fitness coach, Yutaka Nakamura, and her mom. Despite losing, the WTA star is proud of how she coped without a coach and is confident that she can improve by continuing to play more matches.
"I have the positives [from] this week, coming here on my own with [fitness coach] Yutaka [Nakamura] and my mom, but I’m really proud of how I dealt and handled myself this week. I feel okay. I feel like I have certain things we all manage as the year goes on. I think it’s pretty early in the season."
"For me to be playing this kind of match, all I need is time on court and a match-competitive situation, which I got today. I got it in abundance — over three hours of it — so, for me, it’s really valuable because every match I play, I feel like it’s a win."
It is uncertain who Raducanu will appoint as her next coach. Since turning professional, she has already worked with six coaches, so some might hesitate to take on the job.
