The open
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Aus Open: Emma Raducanu Dispatches Thailand’s Sawangkaew In First Round
The British No: Emma Raducanu shook off an unsteady opening to assert her authority in the first round of the Australian Open, powering past Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew with a 6-4, 6-1 victory and extending her flawless record in Melbourne openers.
The British No.1, seeded 28th, was made to work early by the World No.196, who played with freedom and precision in her Grand Slam debut. Sawangkaew struck the ball cleanly from the outset, repeatedly finding the baseline and unsettling Raducanu with depth and pace. An early break put the underdog 3-1 ahead, exposing some early nerves in Raducanu’s service games.
For a stretch, Sawangkaew looked anything but overawed by the occasion. She served confidently, stepped inside the court at every opportunity, and forced Raducanu to defend under sustained pressure. The former US Open champion was twice pushed to a break point as the set wore on, but crucially held firm to stay in touch.
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