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Tennis fans have come forward to show support for Emma Raducanu after her lopsided defeat to Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the 2023 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on Tuesday.
Ostapenko required just 58 minutes to beat Raducanu 6-2 6-1. The Latvian converted all five break points and hit 26 winners, compared to just six from Britain's No. 1 player.
Raducanu, who chose to play Stuttgart over the Billie Jean King Cup Qualifiers (Great Britain lost 1-3 to France), had reached the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 tournament last year, losing to Iga Swiatek. The 20-year-old, currently ranked 68th, has a 5-5 win-loss record this season and is set to fall further in the WTA rankings next week.
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Raducanu's historic 2021 US Open triumph remains her only singles title till date. She has struggled with multiple injuries and form since then.
However, Raducanu's loyal fan base has always stood by her. After her recent loss they once again showed their support, while also praising Ostapenko for playing an extraordinary match.
"I'm with you!! This is what being a tennis fan is about. Supporting your favorite players in good times and in bad. I watched Andy Murray fail over and over again for years until he got to the top of the game. I believe Emma has the same potential and I'll stand by her always," a fan tweeted.
"Raducanu didnt even play badly-first serve could have been better- but Penko was on fire, she beats anyone like that," a user wrote.
"Of course. Emma has given to me the best moment watching tennis in six years (Wimbledon and US Open 2021). Nothing will change that. It wont happen, but if she didnt win any match in the rest of her career, I will keep being happy. She will figure out this, no doubt," a tweet read.
Here are some more fan reactions:
"It's never easy to play against Emma Raducanu" - Jelena Ostapenko
After defeating Emma Raducanu in the first round of the 2023 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Jelena Ostapenko stated that the Brit was a tough opponent and a great player.
"I felt like I was playing really well, very aggressive today," she said. "Didn't give many chances to Emma, because I always expect a tough match against her because she's a great player. It's never easy to play against Emma Raducanu."
The Latvian now leads 2-0 in the head-to-head against the Brit. In her next match, Ostapenko will face Ons Jabeur, who won the WTA 500 Charleston Open earlier this month.
