Raducanu Cruises to Victory Over Sakkari in Dubai
Emma Raducanu delivered a commanding performance at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Sunday, securing a straight-sets victory over Maria Sakkari in the first round.
The British star, enjoying her time in the United Arab Emirates, admitted she loves the late-night atmosphere in Dubai—though she acknowledged that her nighttime strolls may not be the most sensible choice.
“It’s my first time spending a little bit of time here, and I’ve really enjoyed it,” Raducanu shared in her post-match interview. “What I love most is that everything is open late, and I’m a big night owl, so I can go for my walks at like 11 p.m. I don’t know if that is smart or not…”
Smart or not, Raducanu was certainly sharp on the court, defeating former world No. 3 and two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Sakkari 6-4, 6-2 in just under 90 minutes. The 22-year-old’s impressive display sets up a second-round clash with 14th seed Karolina Muchova.
Her victory marked a significant turnaround following a tough stretch of results. After showing promise with a run to the Australian Open third round in January, Raducanu endured a string of four consecutive losses, including first-round exits at the Singapore Tennis Open, the Abu Dhabi Open, and the Qatar Open.
Against Sakkari, however, she looked back to her best, extending her winning record over the Greek player to three consecutive straight-sets victories.
“In a way, we play quite similarly,” Raducanu explained. “She’s really athletic. I’m not necessarily going to give all my tactics away, but it’s always a difficult match. I’m happy to have won on these occasions and to be through to the next round.”
Reflecting on her performance, she added: “I just tried to stay really focused on each point. There were some momentum shifts, and when I got broken twice, I regrouped well and managed to break back both times.
“I was really pleased with how I competed against Maria. She’s a top player—she’s been as high as third in the world. I’m really proud of my performance, and thanks to everyone for staying late, watching, and supporting.”
