Emma Raducanu started strong against world No. 25 Ekaterina Alexandrova but couldn’t maintain her level, ultimately falling 3-6, 5-7 in the first round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Doha.
The British star, who received a wildcard entry, raced to an early 3-1 lead and had three break points to go up a double break in the fifth game. However, after failing to convert, momentum shifted. Alexandrova broke back in the sixth and eighth games, closing the first set with five consecutive games to turn the deficit around.
Raducanu responded in the second set, breaking twice in a row to go 3-1 up. Yet, history repeated itself as she struggled to hold her advantage. Alexandrova broke back in the fifth and 11th games before serving out the match in the 12th game.
This marks Raducanu’s fourth consecutive defeat, while Alexandrova advances to face top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the next round.
Raducanu improves her serve but still falls short
One positive for Raducanu was her serving performance. In her season opener at the Australian Open, she hit 15 double faults but still managed a win against Alexandrova. This time, she kept her errors in check, recording five aces and just one double fault.
Reflecting on her serve after her Melbourne match, Raducanu admitted she wasn’t sure what changed:
“Honestly, I’m not sure what I changed in my serve today. I think it had a mind of its own. I’ll be sure to reflect, look at that, and come back to you,” she said.
“The amount of double faults is uncomfortable, for sure. But it is something I had to accept. I’m working on my serve, and part of it came with first-round nerves.”
