Emma Raducanu beats Linda Fruhvirtova at ASB Classic in Auckland to start 2023 with a win - 'What a battle'

Updated 03/01/2023 at 09:04 GMT

Emma Raducanu showed resilience to come back from losing the opening set to defeat Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic 4-6 6-4 6-2 in Auckland, and afterwards revealed she had needed to cope with a new situation during the match. "It was a different dynamic for me because normally I was the younger one and going into this match she is," Raducanu said of her 17-year-old opponent.

'I need to keep fighting' - Nadal after latest defeat

Emma Raducanu came from behind to beat Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6 6-4 6-2 at the ASB Classic in Auckland as the Brit started her 2023 season with a win.

This time last year Raducanu was recovering from a bout of Covid-19, meaning she missed a chunk of pre-season training and the resulting physical conditioning that would have come with that.

As such she would have been desperate to begin 2023 in a different manner, and that she did, showing resilience after losing the first set to ultimately overpower her 17-year-old opponent in a rain-affected encounter.

Billie Jean King Cup

GB paired with Germany in Billie Jean King Cup Finals

a day ago

"What a battle," Raducanu began in her on-court interview.

"Linda is such a great young player and it was a different dynamic for me because normally I am the younger one and going into this match she is, and she’s going to be up there for sure and she already is, so massive props to her.

"I think it’s always difficult playing your first match of the year and for me, two and a half months it’s been since my last competitive tournament.

"So it was always going to be a little bit of a challenge especially with the conditions, the opponent.

"I'm really, really happy to have got through that."

Both players went toe-to-toe in the early stages but the match had to be stopped at 4-4 in the opening set due to rain.

From there, Fruhvirtova stepped it up to take it 6-4, and held a 2-0 lead in the second before Raducanu found a way to come back into it, recovering to take it 6-4 and level up the match.

Raducanu, now with the momentum, broke for a 1-0 lead in the decider but then the rain intervened again with the players forced off for a second time.

However there was to be no stopping Raducanu when play resumed, as she streaked to a 5-0 lead - and despite a late Fruhvirtova fightback - took the victory.

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain celebrates winning her singles match against Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic during day two of the 2023 ASB Classic Women's at the ASB Tennis Arena on January 03, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Image credit: Getty Images

Raducanu will face Viktoria Kuzmova next in the last 16.

- - -

Stream the 2023 Australian Open live on discovery+ and eurosport.co.uk

WTA Madrid