Emma Raducanu, US Open champion in 2021, continued her solid hard-court season with a 6-2 6-4 win over Elena Gabriela Ruse in 1 hour and 37 minutes at the Omnium Banque Nationale presented by Rogers. Raducanu reached her first semifinal of the season in Washington last week. She has moved up to World number 33 on the WTA Live Ranking.
Raducanu has won four of her five hard-court matches since she lost to world number 1 player Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon.
Raducanu saved five break points in her first service game to hold on her serve. The British player came back from 1-2 down by winning five consecutive games including two breaks of serve to close out 6-2.
Raducanu went up a break twice in the second set at 1-0 and 4-3, but Ruse broke back both times to draw level to 4-4. Raducanu earned another break in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead and closed out the match 6-4 on her first match point in the 10th game.
Raducanu will face number 32 seed Peyton Stearns, who had a first round bye as a seeded player. “Elena is a very good friend of mine. It’s difficult to play someone you know and I am happy with how I put that to one side”, said Raducanu.
