Emma Raducanu loses three-hour slugfest in Singapore as mum watches on

Emma Raducanu in action.

Emma Raducanu crashed out of the Singapore Open in the first round, going down 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 to world No. 101 Cristina Bucsa in her first match since splitting with coach Nick Cavaday. Cavaday, who worked with the Brit as a junior before reuniting last year, stepped back from his role to "prioritise getting back to full health". The decision left Raducanu searching for the seventh full-time coach of her young career. In Singapore, Raducanu was supported by fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura and mum Renee Zhai, who made a rare appearance at one of her daughter's matches.

She was thrashed 6-1, 6-0 by Iga Swiatek in Melbourne last time out, a scoreline that Raducanu described as “harsh”. And the British No. 2 encountered an early scare in Singapore with Bucsa surging to two break points in the very first set, before Raducanu rallied to hold. Seventh-seed Raducanu broke in the third game, with both players especially struggling on second serves, to gain an early foothold in the match. Raducanu’s serve was patchy throughout. It was an area of her game that Cavaday especially worked hard to overhaul, particularly while she skipped last year’s French Open to focus on Wimbledon, with the now-ex-coach wanting her racket face pointing at the sky when serving.

Emma Raducanu's mum Renee Zhai watching on.

Bucsa immediately broke back as Raducanu struggled to avoid double faults, picking up seven in total across the three hours of play. Raducanu was broken again as Bucsa led 5-4, forcing the Brit onto her backfoot with some heavy hitting. Bucsa could not take advantage, however, as Raducanu broke with emphasis and then served to love, breaking once more to take the first set 7-5 and temporarily banish some well-placed nerves.

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Doubles specialist and Olympic bronze medallist Bucsa had a few net cords go against her in the first set, but got the rub of the green and the tide began to move in her favour now after a lucky bounce of her own. Neither player was confident on their serve and the second set began with three breaks. Bucsa then became the first player to successfully hold before Raducanu got her nose back in front with three consecutive set wins, but could not get the better of her opponent any further and lost the second set 7-5. Raducanu would have hoped to avoid a decider, but let out a big roar when she broke Bucsa to go 2-0 up.

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