Emma Raducanu suffers ninth straight top-10 loss at China Open

Emma Raducanu was defeated by world No. 7 Jessica Pegula in the third round of the China Open, losing in three sets after failing to convert three match points in the second-set tiebreak. Raducanu, the British No. 1, started strong by winning the first set and gaining an early lead in the tiebreak, but Pegula fought back to win 7-6 (11-9) and then dominated the third set 6-0. This loss marked Raducanu's second consecutive tournament where she squandered match points after a similar defeat to Barbora Krejcikova at the Korea Open. Raducanu has struggled against top-10 players this season, having lost eight matches in a row and failing to close out matches when given winning opportunities. Her fading performance in decisive third sets and inability to win tiebreakers raise concerns as she looks to improve her ranking ahead of the Australian Open. Despite her promising start and strong play early in matches, Raducanu's energy and focus wane in critical moments, impacting her ability to secure victories against elite competition.