Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu crashed in the second round of the Australian Open on Thursday while struggling with blisters on her serving hand. The 19-year-old, who made her Melbourne Park debut, looked good as she raced to a 3-0 lead against Montenegro’s Danka Kovinic in the opening set. But the 17th seed then lost five games in a row and needed a medical time-out for treatment on her right hand. Despite fighting back, she couldn’t stop Kovinic from winning 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 at the Margaret Court Arena.
The result brought Kovinic, the world number 98, into the third round of a major for the first time.
She now faces two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep, seeded 14, or Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia for a fourth-round spot.
“I really enjoyed it. It was a nice experience to play against Emma and make it to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time,” she said.
“Emma is such a talent and I’m just happy to have shown that I can play at her level.”
It was only Kovinic’s fourth win over a top-20 player and the first on hard courts, while the other three were all on clay.
Raducanu immediately put pressure on the Kovinic service and worked out a break point that worked in her favor. A comfortable grab followed, then Kovinic’s sixth unforced error gave the teenager three break points to make a 3-0 clear.
But the Brit lost focus and loose shots from the baseline allowed her opponent to claw back a break.
Raducanu needed a medical time-out at 3-2 and was broken again when she returned, as her serve lacked power and potential.
She struggled and lost five games in a row before breaking the streak with a break, but it was to no avail when Kovinic jumped up again to take the set.
The teen bit her teeth and played through the pain to stamp her authority early in the second set and take a 2-0 lead.
promoted
She needed more treatment at 3-2, but clung on and used the drop shot and slice to protect the injury as she took the second set.
Both players traded breaks in the deciding set before a perfect lob gave Kovinic a second break that proved decisive.
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