Latest news with #BritishNo2
Times
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Times
Katie Boulter overcomes heat to beat Sonay Kartal at Nottingham Open
Katie Boulter is on home territory at the Nottingham Open, returning to courts she has played on since childhood, but even the British No2 was surprised at the problems posed by temperatures of 28C as she battled to a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 victory over Sonay Kartal. She was less surprised by the stiff challenge posed by Kartal, the upwardly mobile British No3 who has risen rapidly up the rankings in the past year. Although grass is not her favoured surface, she forced Boulter to dig deep to keep alive her hopes of a third consecutive victory in this tournament. After Boulter had moved smoothly through the first set, Kartal hit back to dominate the second and build a 4-2 lead in the third. But Boulter kept her cool and rediscovered her rhythm, with the help of a few ice towels and the local support, putting pressure back on Kartal's serve, edging a compelling contest that lasted 2hr 26min, sapping the energy of both players.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Emma Raducanu is thrashed by Iga Swiatek AGAIN - as British No 2 wins just three games against the four-time French Open champion
After a mauling in Melbourne came a pasting in Paris, as Emma Raducanu was knocked out by Iga Swiatek for the second Grand Slam in a row. The best that could be said about this 6-1, 6-2 defeat in the second round of Roland Garros was it was better than the 6-1, 6-0 rout at the Australian Open. It is five defeats from five for Raducanu against the Pole, and she is yet to win a set. In the build up to this contest, Raducanu had talked of bridging the gap between herself and the top players. Well Emma, in this matchup at least, you're gonna need a bigger bridge. Raducanu simply does not have the weight of shot to hang with Swiatek. The British No 2 is a lovely clean striker of a ball, and she can deliver the finishing blow once a point has been constructed, but Swiatek does not allow her that luxury. Within a few balls of the rally Raducanu was rocked on to the back foot, and once Swiatek gets you there the only question is whether the job will be finished by forehand or backhand. And the defending champion did miss a few more of those than in previous years. She is as vulnerable here as she has ever been, having not won a title on the tour since her fourth here last year. Once apparently unbeatable, Swiatek is eminently beatable now. But to beat her you have to rush her; go hard and straight into a forehand wing which can crack under pressure. She has lost this year to big hitters like Madison Keys (Australian Open), Danielle Collins (Rome) and Jelena Ostapenko (Doha and Stuttgart). Raducanu's coach Mark Petchey is working for TNT Sports and on Wednesday morning talked of some of the adjustments they have made. Her strings are different and they have added some weight to the racket frame; it will take more than a couple of pounds of lead tape to give her the power to trouble Swiatek, however. Petchey was on TV duty for Raducanu's first-round win against Xinyu Wang. He was on court for this one though, hurrying in wearing the crisp blue shirt and suit trousers of his day job. If this matchup crops up again in his tenure, it is not easy to see how he and Raducanu can go about making inroads. If she cannot outhit Swiatek, Raducanu could at least have tried to play with more variety. She hit one drop shot in the net early on then abandoned the tactic. She has one of the better slice backhands on tour and could have gone to that shot as a more proactive option, rather than a last resort in extremis. As for Swiatek, she is building into the tournament nicely. The nadir of her recent loss of form was a third-round loss to Danielle Collins in Rome, and after that match she said of Roland Garros: 'It would be stupid to expect a lot since I'm not able to play my game. I'll just try to regroup and go day by day.' Day by day she is going and all looks well so far but it will take a less pliant opponent than Raducanu to truly test her. The spectre of her nemesis Ostapenko – who leads the head to head 6-0 – lurks in the fourth round.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Why tennis insiders are convinced British No 2 Jacob Fearnley will become 'one of the best in the world'
'The public don't know much about him yet,' said Jack Draper in Madrid last month, 'but I think he can be one of the best players in the world.' The British No 1 was talking about the British No 2, Jacob Fearnley, and if the man on the street doesn't know much about the Scot, those inside the game only know a little more.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Emma Raducanu vs Danielle Collins: Briton a set up but suffering from back issue
The American edges to a 30-0 but Raducanu gets it back to 15-30, before the British No 2 nets her backhand return. Just heard on commentary, that the physio has been called for the British No 2, who seems to suffering with her back. Raducanu is still fighting – despite looking uncomfortable. However, the American take its to 15-40 with a superb forehand pass. The British No 2 was outclassed with that shot. She goes off court with a medical timeout – seeking treatment on her back.
Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Emma Raducanu vs Daria Kasatkina live: Score and latest updates from Strasbourg
Emma Raducanu is taking part in her final tournament before the French Open as she takes on Daria Kasatskina at the Internationaux de Strasbourg. The British No 2 won three successive matches on clay for the first time in her career at the Italian Open last week, before succumbing to world No 3 Coco Gauff in the last-16 stage. Raducanu had not been expected to appear in another tournament before Roland Garros but has decided to accept a wildcard to continue her acclimatisation to the surface with which she is least comfortable. Kasatskina represents a tough assignment for the 22-year-old from Bromley. The Russian-born Australian is ranked No 17 in the world, 22 places higher than Raducanu, and has won all three meetings against the Briton to date.
