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Emma Raducanu Unravels Against Barbora Krejcikova in Korea Open

Barbora Krejčíková came back to defeat Emma Raducanu in the second round of the Korea Open.
Pat Benson|
Barbora Krejčíková defeated Emma Raducanu in the Korea Open.
Barbora Krejčíková defeated Emma Raducanu in the Korea Open. | IMAGO / MediaPunch

Earlier this month, British tennis star Emma Raducanu made the tough decision to play the Korea Open instead of representing her country in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

It was the right choice. Raducanu has made it no secret that her goal for the rest of the 2025 WTA season is to improve her play and ranking ahead of the 2026 Australian Open in January. After her first-round win, it looked like a savvy move.

While it was still the correct strategic move, the decision blew up today in Seoul. Barbora Krejčíková defeated Raducanu in three sets during their second-round match: 4-6, 7-6 (10), 6-1.

The boxscore tells most of the story, but it was somehow even more painful for Raducanu. She served for the match three times in the second set, once when up 5-4, and two more times in the tiebreak.

To her credit, Raducanu saved three set points during the second-set tiebreak. However, her game fell apart in the decider. It could have been fatigue or physical issues, but Raducanu appeared to lose her fight (which has been remarkably strong all year) in the final set.

Not only will Raducanu miss out on another opportunity to face World No.2 Iga Swiatek in the next round, but she will lose points after failing to get back to the quarterfinals of the WTA 500 event.

Krejčíková was far from perfect in her comeback victory. She tallied four aces and ten double faults. The Czech star won points on 72% and 64% of her first and second serves, respectively. She was 5/7 in break point opportunities.

Meanwhile, Raducanu hit four aces and two double faults. She won points on 66% and 50% of her first and second serves, respectively. Raducanu was 4/6 in break point opportunities.

Krejčíková managed to win despite her 64 unforced errors compared to Raducanu's 37 unforced errors. The grueling match lasted two hours and 52 minutes.

Raducanu is the WTA World No.33 with a record 27-19 after today's loss. She is scheduled to participate in four more tournaments this year. Meanwhile, the No.39 Krejčíková improves to 14-7 and will face Swiatek tomorrow in the quarterfinals.

The Korea Open runs through September 21. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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