Emma Raducanu digs deep to beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse in first round in Montreal
The world number 33 weathered the storm and despite a run of six games in a row midway through the match, Raducanu was largely forced to battle and scrap to ensure she chalked up a sixth win from her last eight matches.
Raducanu was swiftly back in action after her last-four run in Washington, but quickly in trouble as Ruse forced five break points in the opening game of the match.
In more hot and humid conditions in Canada, British number one Raducanu showed her resilience and leaned on her improved serve to claim a crucial hold before more issues were forthcoming in her next service game.
After Raducanu again survived, having been taken to deuce, she sensed her moment and was able to break Ruse to move 3-2 up after the Romanian sent down two double-faults.
YES! @EmmaRaducanu breezes through round one at @OBNmontreal ❤️🔥
She beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-2, 6-4 to advance & continue her strong form#BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/LxC7efGWM4
— LTA (@the_LTA) July 28, 2025
It sparked a run of six consecutive games for Raducanu as she clinched the opener by a 6-2 score, but an early break at the start of the second set was followed by an immediate response from Ruse.
While Raducanu forced more break points on Ruse's serve, it was not until the seventh game of set two when the 2021 US Open champion broke again to move 4-3 ahead.
It started a run of three consecutive breaks before Raducanu kept her cool to close out victory at the first time of asking on serve after a demanding one-hour-and-37-minute battle in the country of her birth.
Next up for Raducanu is a second-round meeting with 32nd seed Peyton Stearns.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
a minute ago
- BBC News
Norrie out of Canadian Open after Vukic defeat
British number two Cameron Norrie crashed out of the Canadian Open after a surprise second-round defeat to unseeded Australian Aleksandar Vukic.A 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 loss meant the 29-year-old has still to win a singles title since enjoyed a fine run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals earlier in July, but failed to carry that momentum on to the hard courts as he found himself 3-0 down in the opening set before losing appeared to be struggling with illness and had his blood pressure checked midway through the second set, but battled on to take a close set 7-2 in the Norrie's failure to take advantage of any of his three break points in the rain-interrupted deciding set caught up with him as the number 31 seed could not overcome world number 99 Vukic, 29.
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Lady Iman makes light work of Molecomb task
The daughter of Starman had dazzled in her opening three outings but lost her unbeaten record to Aidan O'Brien's Beautify at the Curragh in the Airlie Stud Stakes. Reverting to five furlongs for her first taste of action on British soil, she was sent off the 11-8 favourite and Ryan Moore kept things simple, travelling smoothly in the slipstream of the early leaders before taking over in the final furlong where she was not for catching. Tim Easterby's consistent Argentine Tango gave chase in vain for an honourable second, with Kevin Ryan's early pacesetter Dickensian in third. Lyons said: 'Sweet this, because I love the filly. I ran her over six and my jockey kept telling me she should be going five. 'But as Ryan just said if she gets a low draw at Del Mar she wins, but then he also said we should head for the Nunthorpe. If that's what he says and it's what the owners want to do then we will. 'I got such a buzz out of Del Mar last year that I'd like to be going back with something special and if I'm allowed that's where I'll go with her.'
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Lions hooker Dan Sheehan insists all eyes are on series whitewash over Australia
Now that the celebrations for securing an unassailable 2-0 series lead have subsided, the Lions have hardened their resolve to sign off their expedition Down Under with a 100 per cent record. If they triumph at Sydney's Accor Stadium on Saturday, they will become the first Lions side in almost a century to win every Test. History made 🦁#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 26, 2025 A dramatic 29-26 victory in Melbourne has placed Andy Farrell's men on the brink of greatness, but Sheehan admits the review of the second Test was 'not pretty watching for a lot of it'. 'It would be disappointing if we didn't show up on Saturday,' the Ireland hooker said. 'It would be different if the series was in the balance, but we've always been pretty clear on our goals – to go unbeaten overseas and win the series 3-0. So we just need to stick to what we said. 'There are a lot of people who have put a lot of effort into travelling out for this game and a lot of our families will be here as well, so there's plenty of motivation. And I can only imagine what the Australians are feeling now as well. 'We are searching for an 80-minute performance this weekend. The people and the talent we have are crazy. We just need to get them all working. 'There's also an individual onus on how you show up to a game – myself included because there are a few moments in the second Test when you're wondering what you were doing. We can be a lot better, definitely in that first half. 'But that's part of rugby. It's such an imperfect game that you've got to get over those moments pretty quick. And you get another chance on Saturday, hopefully.' Farrell names his team on Thursday and must decide to what extent fresh legs are needed following two bruising Tests against the Wallabies, but the indications from the management are that the strongest possible XV will be fielded. That rules out rotation for anything other than those players who are running on empty, which could include flankers Tom Curry and Tadhg Beirne after their lung-busting shifts in Brisbane and Melbourne. Second row Joe McCarthy, centre Sione Tuipulotu and wing Mack Hansen all come into contention after recovering the injuries that forced them to miss the second Test. If he has fully proved his fitness by Thursday, Hansen has an especially strong chance of being involved given wings James Lowe and Tommy Freeman have yet to impress in the series. Blair Kinghorn is also an option to start. Sheehan's excellent form will see him continue at hooker and the 26-year-old will continue to find novel ways to unlock defences after his 'superman' try from close range during the second Test. 'I took the first free-kick and got absolutely melted trying to go low. Then for the second one I just thought 'if I have a dive here…',' he said. 'I didn't know if they had anyone in the back. It was just a throw and hope and I slipped through. I can see all the controversy about it, but I did know that you can dive in the air if you score.'
