Emma Raducanu makes dominant grass court return with Queen’s victory
Emma Raducanu of Britain celebrates after defeating Anna Blinkova of Russia in their first round match at the Queen’s Club tennis championships in London (AP)
Emma Raducanu began her grass-court season with a decisive 6-0 6-3 victory over qualifier Anna Blinkova at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club.
The British number one said that she played with “clarity” and felt “free”, returning to her “natural” game after reuniting with coach Andrew Richardson.
This win marks Raducanu’s first match since her early exit from the French Open and her first victory since Indian Wells in March, following a recovery from a post-viral illness.
Raducanu adopted an aggressive approach, swiftly winning the first set and managing breezy conditions in the second.
She views this performance as a crucial “stepping stone” for her upcoming matches and the Wimbledon tournament, and will next face seventh seed Sorana Cirstea.
