Emma Raducanu Advances at Australian Open

Emma Raducanu triumphed in her first-round match at the Australian Open, defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2) despite hitting 15 double faults. Raducanu described her serve as having 'a mind of its own' and acknowledged the need to reflect on her performance, as she also recorded nine aces during the match. The victory was particularly significant as it marked her first match back since a back spasm disrupted her pre-season training. Raducanu's coach, Nick Cavaday, has been working with her on improving her serve, which showed both promise and inconsistency during the match. She expressed pride in her ability to maintain focus and not let her serving struggles derail her performance, highlighting her success in crucial tiebreak moments. Looking ahead, Raducanu is optimistic about refining her serve before her next match against Amanda Anisimova.