A tearful Emma Raducanu rallied back brilliantly from a set down to defeat American Ann Li 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-1 and reach the second round of the Lexus Eastbourne Open.
Raducanu trailed the world No 64, who was runner-up in the 2017 Wimbledon girls’ singles final, by a set and a break before wrestling back control in tricky conditions.
After sealing victory on her fourth match point, the British No 1 and seventh seed at Devonshire Park, dropped her racket before letting out her emotions.
Raducanu was emotional after her first-round victory at Devonshire Park
Raducanu has been struggling with a back issue since competing in Strasbourg before the French Open and took an off-court medical timeout during her quarter-final loss at Queen’s Club earlier this month.
But aside from a slip and fall on the grass in set one, she appeared to come through her opening examination unscathed.
“I feel incredible,” the former US Open champion said in her on-court interview. “I just want to thank the crowd for getting me through some really sticky moments. It really meant a lot to me and I’m really proud of how I fought back after losing the first set.
“It was a tough match. Ann was hitting winners from all over the place and it was obviously very windy, but I’m just very happy to come through that, so thank you.
“It was up and down, but from the middle of the second set I found an extra gear, I found an extra level, and I’m really proud of how I came through that.”
Raducanu (left) is delighted with the working partnership alongside coach Mark Petchey heading into Wimbledon
On working with coach Mark Petchey, Raducanu added: “It’s working really well. I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow, and looking forward to Wimbledon as well.”
Asked about her reaction after the match in her press-conference, Raducanu, 22, replied: “I received some pretty bad news, so I would like to keep it personal, if that’s OK?
“But it was difficult, very emotional at the end and probably just a release of different emotions.”
Victory over Li in two hours and 18 minutes sets up a second-round clash with 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint, who knocked out two-time Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur.
Tale of the Tape
How the draw looks…
Dart blows match points in defeat to Wimbledon champion
Harriet Dart came agonisingly close to defeating Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova
Harriet Dart blew two match points on serve as she slipped to an agonising defeat to reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova on a rain-affected day.
Following two suspensions of play in the opening set due to wet weather, the British No 4 battled blustery conditions to move to the brink of one of the greatest wins of her career.
But Krejcikova, who defeated Jasmine Paolini in last year’s Wimbledon final, avoided a first-round shock by hitting back to progress 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 in two hours and 40 minutes.
The second seed will face another Briton in round two following Jodie Burrage’s 6-3 6-2 win over Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.
Dart did little to hide her frustration at failing to capitalise on the pair of match-clinching opportunities against the 2021 French Open champion, letting out a piercing scream as the following game slipped away.
The 28-year-old has only twice defeated opponents with a higher ranking than Krejcikova’s current status of world No 17.
She upset 2024 Eastbourne champion Daria Kasatkina, who was then ranked ninth, in the first round of the 2022 US Open before beating then-world No 13 Paula Badosa later that year at the Billie Jean King Cup.
Dart said: “Some crazy conditions today. I was pretty close. I missed a ball on match point and then she played a really good point on my other match point, and then she becomes a bit freer. It was a tough match overall.
“My level was 10 times better than I’ve played the last two weeks. For me that’s more important, especially going to Wimbledon.
“Of course I’d like to have won. But I was also playing a very experienced, multiple Grand Slam winner.”
British No 3 Sonay Kartal lost 6-3 7-6 (7-2) to 2021 Eastbourne champion Jelena Ostapenko.
In the first round of the men’s draw, Billy Harris won the battle of the Britons by upsetting Cameron Norrie 6-4 6-4.
British No 2 Jacob Fearnley knocked out fifth seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli, winning 6-2 6-2.
British qualifier George Loffhagen lost 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 7-6 (7-1) to American Reilly Opelka, while Ilkley Open runner-up Jack Pinnington Jones went down 4-6 6-3 6-3 to Portuguese eighth seed Nuno Borges.
Forgotten man Tomic earns first Tour win since 2021
Bernard Tomic claimed his first tour-level victory since the Australian Open in 2021 – 1,597 days!
Australia’s forgotten bad boy Bernard Tomic earned his first ATP main draw victory since 2021 as he hit back from a set down to beat Rinky Hijikata 3-6 7-5 6-2 at the Mallorca Open.
The 32-year-old was once ranked 17th in the world and made the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2011, but he is now languishing down at No 248.
Tomic attracted plenty of criticism throughout his career, often bragging about his party lifestyle and earnings and having numerous run-ins with authorities.
French Open semi-finalist out of Wimbledon qualifying
Lois Boisson reached the semi-finals of the French Open but she went out in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying
Surprise French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson lost in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying.
The 22-year-old was beaten 6-2 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 against No 197-ranked Carson Branstine of Canada at the Roehampton qualifying venue.
Boisson soared from No 361 to No 65 after her run at Roland-Garros in her Grand Slam main draw singles debut, and was top seed in the Wimbledon qualifying draw.
Boisson beat top-10 players Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva at the French Open before losing to eventual champion Coco Gauff.
The Wimbledon main draw starts on Monday.
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