Emma Raducanu,Sonay Kartal,and Iiga Swiatek all advanced to the third round of the China Open in Beijing on Tuesday,showcasing strong performances as the tournament progresses.
Raducanu, the 30th seed and world number 31, overcame a challenge from Julia Bucsa, securing her place in the next round.Despite being outpaced in outright winners - 16 to Bucsa’s 28 – Raducanu demonstrated control during crucial moments of the match. The victory marks a positive rebound for the British player, following a disappointing quarter-final loss at the Korea Open earlier this month where she failed to convert three match points against Barbora Krejcikova.
The match against Bucsa was tightly contested, with Raducanu saving six break points in the first set before closing it out by winning the final two games. She started the second set strongly, claiming the first two games, but Bucsa responded by breaking serve to level the score at 2-2.Raducanu quickly regained the advantage, breaking back and ultimately securing four of the last five games to win.
Raducanu,who received a first-round bye,expressed her satisfaction with the win,stating,”I’m very happy to have gotten over it and after a tough one last week to bounce back.” she then delighted the crowd by speaking in Mandarin, acknowledging her connection to the host nation. “I really want to do well here. I’m half-Chinese so it’s great to come back,” she added.
