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Emma Raducanu's first-round loss against Anhelina Kalinina at the 2024 Qatar Open attracted tennis fans' attention for all the wrong reasons.
Raducanu returned at the 2024 ASB Classic after spending eight months on the sidelines due to surgery on both her wrists and an ankle. Having joined the tournament in Auckland via a wildcard, she beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse before bowing out in the second round against Elina Svitolina.
Raducanu had a protected ranking of 103 ahead of the Australian Open but joined the main draw due to several players pulling out of the Grand Slam. There, a straight-sets first-round win against Shelby Rogers was followed by a second-round exit against Wang Yafan.
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The Brit didn't make the most of her wildcard entry into the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open either. She beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-1 before losing to Ons Jabeur in the following match by the same scoreline.
In Qatar, Kalhinina dished out a bagel in the first set before winning the second set 7-6(6). Raducanu had a forgettable day out against the Ukrainian, registering 48 unforced errors as compared to her opponent's 22. She also had a set point in the second-set tiebreaker at 6-5 but lost the next three points to lose the match.
The manner of the 21-year-old's defeat didn't please tennis fans online. One took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote:
"she [Emma Raducanu] should just retire at this point. it's a disgrace"
Another added:
"Another WC [wildcard] wasted 🤦🏾,should have at least converted the BPS in the tiebreaker"
Here are other reactions from tennis fans, as found on X:
Emma Raducanu gives verdict on her Qatar Open loss against Anhelina Kalinina
After the match, Emma Raducanu implied that playing during the day played a role in her first-round exit at the Qatar Open against Anhelina Kalinina.
The Toronto native said, via BBC:
"It was combination of things. It was my first day-match I have played in a year. That is different. "I need to practise training outside a bit more. The lights, conditions, shadows... it is really hard to see the ball, I found towards the end. "When my tennis isn't there I have to try and at least fight and I did that in the second set."
Raducanu, who has already competed in four events this season before mid-February, also mentioned that she has to 'schedule her tournaments a bit better'.
"I just struggled with the timing of the ball. It will come with more time practising as well as matches. It is hard for me to get used to the tour schedule. It is one tournament then another straight away. I need to schedule my tournaments a bit better and try to get more matches under my belt", Emma Raducanu added.
Once ranked No. 10 in the world, the 2021 US Open winner currently sits in the 262nd spot. The win at Flushing Meadows also remains her only title on Tour to date.
