Emma Raducanu Knocked Out of Abu Dhabi Open in 1st Round

Tuesday's first-round match at the Abu Dhabi Open featured two one-time Grand Slam winners who have battled injuries against each other. Emma Raducanu and Marketa Vondrousova faced off for the third time on tour.
Despite having little preparation in 2025, Vondrousova defeated Raducnau in straight sets: 6-3, 6-4. "It was a tough match," said Vondrousova in her on-court interview. "She played some great rallies, and it was a battle to the end. So I'm very happy. I can't wait for my next match."
Vondrousova will face the fourth-seeded Yulia Puntintseva in the Round of 16 tomorrow at 3:30 a.m. EST. Meanwhile, Raducanu picks up her third consecutive loss.
First set! ✅@VondrousovaM takes the first set 6-3 over Raducanu! #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen pic.twitter.com/0YD6BpPalM
— wta (@WTA) February 4, 2025
Raducanu jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first before she was broken in her next three service games as Voundrousova won five straight games to secure the opening set.
Throughout the match, Raducanu was unable to convert on break points against Vondrousova. Even worse, the British tennis star was broken in five of her ten service games, winning just 59% of points on her first serve.
Vondrousova hit four aces to Raducanu's zero and double-faulted nine times to her opponent's two double faults. Vondrousova was 5/12 on break points to Raducanu's 2/7. The Czech star's aggressive play style paid off, as she hit eight drop-shot winners.
Only ☝️ major champion can win...
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 4, 2025
Vondrousova triumphs over Raducanu in straight sets and advances to the Second Round. 🤌#MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen pic.twitter.com/XOEtQx5vxq
Raducanu initially accepted a wildcard spot into qualifying for the WTA 500 tournament but snuck into the main draw when Ashlyn Krueger withdrew.
While Raducanu has been relatively healthy this year, she is dealing with more inconsistencies in her coaching. Her former coach, Nick Cavaday, stepped down following the Australian Open, and she reunited with Croatian Roman Kelecic in Abu Dhabi.
Raducanu is currently the World No. 56 with a record of 2-3. Vondrousova is the World No. 37 with a record of 2-1. Tennis fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Serve on SI for all the most important news from the sport.