Stylish Emma Raducanu gets revenge on Cristina Bucsa to reach Queen's second round

Telegraph

2 days ago

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10 June 2025 5:04pm
5:03PM
'I was locked in' - Raducanu on first-round victory
Discussing her performance, Raducanu said on court: 'I must say I was quite locked in today, so I'm very pleased with my performance. I was a little bit nervous in the beginning, it's my first time playing on this court at Queen's in London. The support was incredible.
On switching from clay to grass, she said: 'I would say I'm still trying to find my groove on this surface, there are certain shots that I feel like I'm still a little bit late on, so I'm working on that.
'I knew today was going to be a really difficult match, I actually lost to Kristina earlier on this year, so I was trying to make sure that didn't happen again.
'I was trying to fight and get into the second round because I just want to stay here playing at Queen's, playing as many matches as I possibly can.'
4:55PM
Raducanu seals victory in routine fashion
So can Raducanu hold her serve once again to wrap up this match in little over an hour?
Bucsa hammers her first return into the net to give the Brit a 15-0 lead. The same again on the second point so it's 30-0 to the home favourite.
Raducanu sends a wonderful forehand into the corner to set up three match points but is forced to wait a little longer after a powerful return of serve from Bucsa.
The Spaniard comes into the net on the next point but a superb passing backhand seals victory for Raducanu. A truly dominant performance from the British No 2 and she progresses into the second round.
4:50PM
Raducanu 6-1, 5-2 Bucsa*
Bucsa comes out on top of the first couple of points of this next game, as she serves to stay in the match, sending a forehand into the corner on the latter.
She then buries a pair of aces to wrap this game up in incredibly quick fashion.
4:48PM
Raducanu playing well
In the break between games a man carrying four drinks just stumbled down the stairs - miraculously not spilling anything - to cheers from those in the nearby stands.
On court, Emma Raducanu is playing well and not looking overly troubled by her Spanish opponent.
4:48PM
Raducanu* 6-1, 5-1 Bucsa
Bucsa goes long with a backhand to give Raducanu the lead at the start of the sixth game of this set.
But the Spaniard draws Raducanu to the net with a tidy drop shot before volleying home into the empty court to level things up, that's much more like it.
The British No 2 responds, though, with a powerful serve that can only be returned into the net by Bucsa and it's 30-15. But things do feel much more even now and after working Raducanu out wide, Bucsa finishes off the point with another sliced backhand drop shot.
Raducanu dispatches an excellent backhand into the corner from the baseline, though, and it's up to 40-30. The Brit goes long from a similar position on the next point so we're up to deuce.
After a slight slip from Raducanu, Bucsa can send a forehand into the corner so she has her first break point of the match. Raducanu goes big with the second serve, though, sending her opponent out wide before burying the forehand into the opposite corner so the break saved for now.
The Spaniard slices a defensive forehand long but Raducanu sends an attempted winner wide so it's back to deuce. It felt like there was much more space to go the other way there.
Bucsa pushes her next return of serve wide before sending the next one into the net and it's a well-fought hold from Raducanu.
4:37PM
Raducanu 6-1, 4-1 Bucsa*
It's an unforced error at the start of this game from Bucsa as she finds the net, but she forces the wayward return on the next point before burying a forehand to take a 30-15 lead.
She then works Raducanu out wide and can finish it off at the net to go within a point of the game but from a similar position, she slices wide before a slice into the net takes the game to deuce.
She comes out on top of the next point for the advantage before finishing the game off with an ace.
4:33PM
Raducanu* 6-1, 4-0 Bucsa
Bucsa has been able to get a foothold in the opening two points of Raducanu's service game and she comes out on top to take a 0-30 lead.
Raducanu produces another powerful second serve, though, and the Spaniard's forehand down the line goes wide. A big serve down the middle forces the return into the net so it's all square again in this game.
Raducanu continues to make it count with the serve as another return finds the net, before the next one drops just beyond the net allowing the Brit to tuck it away into an empty court.
4:28PM
Raducanu 6-1, 3-0 Bucsa*
Bucsa dominates the opening point of her next service game but catches the top of the net while on top of the next point so it's back to 15-15.
Raducanu catches the line during the next rally and Bucsa is thrown off by the bounce so it's 15-30 to the Brit.
Bucsa can level things but she is unable to return a crushing crosscourt backhand from Raducanu, though, so it's another break point for the 22-year-old.
She gobbles up the second serve before putting the point away at the net so she has the double-break!
4:25PM
Raducanu* 6-1, 2-0 Bucsa
Bucsa shows some good character to bury a forehand into the corner at the start of this next game, before dominating the next point to set up a smash at the net and go 0-30 up.
The first real test for Raducanu's serve now and she responds well, forcing the wide return of serve from the Spaniard.
Bucsa's strings go on her racket on the next point and Raducanu keeps the point alive for long enough to force the mistake and it's back to 30-30.
Following a change of rackets for the Spaniard, Bucsa's return of serve goes long so Raducanu has done well to turn this game around.
An ace down the middle and that will be a confidence-boosting hold for the Brit.