Emma Raducanu’s winning streak continued as she faced off against Daria Kasatkina in the Internationaux de Strasbourg. The British tennis player, currently ranked number two in the UK, managed to secure a victory over the sixth seed with a score of 6-1 6-3. This win comes after Raducanu’s impressive performance at the Italian Open last week, where she reached the quarter-finals for the first time on clay courts.
Raducanu started the match strong, breaking Kasatkina in the opening game. Despite facing a break right back, the 22-year-old persevered and went on to win the next five games, clinching the first set 6-1. The second set saw a similar start for Raducanu, who took an early lead before a series of breaks of serve led to a tense 5-3 situation. After missing a few match points, Raducanu finally closed out the match on her fourth attempt, setting up a showdown with American Danielle Collins in the next round.
In a post-match interview, Raducanu expressed her pride in her performance and growing fondness for clay courts. The British player, who initially hadn’t planned on competing in the tournament but accepted a wild card, shared her excitement at building her relationship with the surface. On the flip side, British hopeful Harriet Dart faced a disappointing end in the French Open qualifiers, falling to Ukraine’s Anastasiia Sobolieva in a 6-1 6-2 defeat. Despite a brief comeback in the second set, Dart was unable to overcome Sobolieva’s dominance, leading to a swift conclusion of her journey in the tournament.
