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Raducanu beaten on Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open return

Bencic, winner of the inaugural Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in 2023, made a triumphant return to Zayed Sports City

Published: Tue 4 Feb 2025, 8:50 PM

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Emma Raducanu hits a return during her match against Marketa Vondrousova. — Supplied photo

Emma Raducanu hits a return during her match against Marketa Vondrousova. — Supplied photo

Emma Raducanu suffered a disappointing early exit at the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open with the 22-year-old beaten in straight sets (6-3 6-4) by Marketa Vondrousova, who is joined in the Round of 16 by Belinda Bencic, Leylah Fernandez, Magda Linette and Linda Noskova, all victorious on day four of the tournament.

In a meeting of Grand Slam champions, Raducanu began the match brightly and, having forced an early break of serve to go 3-1 up, appeared to be in the ascendancy. A double fault in the following game, however, set the tone for what followed as she struggled to recover, with Vondrousova winning five consecutive games to take the first set.


While Raducanu, at times, produced moments of brilliance, she was being hampered by a series of unforced errors. Both players had their moments in the second set, but it was Vondrousova, 2023 Wimbledon champion, who displayed greater consistency in her game.

At 5-3, Raducanu showed fantastic spirit by breaking her opponent, who was serving for the match, but it was indicative of her overall performance that in the following game, the Brit was on the opposite end of a break, meaning it’s Vondrousova who progresses to the last 16, and a meeting with Yulia Putintseva.

Marketa Vondrousova celebrates her victory. — Supplied photo

Marketa Vondrousova celebrates her victory. — Supplied photo

Bencic, winner of the inaugural Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in 2023, made a triumphant return to Zayed Sports City as she overcame the challenge of Rebecca Sramkova in three sets.

Making her first appearance at the stadium since winning the competition, Bencic started the match in supremely confident fashion, dropping just two games as she took the first set comfortably.

Her early dominance was temporarily halted, however, as Sramkova produced a brilliant response to win the second and level the match up. With parity restored, those watching on inside Stadium Court would have expected a tight decisive set, but Bencic had other ideas, with the 2020 Olympic gold medallist totally overwhelming her opponent, running out 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 winner, setting up a last-16 meeting tomorrow against Veronika Kudermetova.

Canada’s Fernandez, runner-up at the 2021 US Open, edged a tight and entertaining encounter against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima on Stadium Court early in the day.

After the first set had swayed back and forth, it was ultimately settled via a tie-break in the favour of Fernandez.

It was a high-tempo contest with both players producing some fantastic shots and intense rallies, and the second set followed a similar pattern to the first. Once again, a tie-break was required, but sensing victory was in her grasp, Fernandez seized control, winning all seven points without reply to claim a 7-6, 7-6 victory.

Fernandez now faces Lulu Sun, conqueror of Caroline Garcia, in the next round.

Noskova took just 61 minutes to book her place in the last 16 as she ruthlessly dispatched Magdalena Frech, winning the first set without dropping a single game on her way to a 6-0, 6-3 victory. She now faces Paula Badosa, a semifinalist at the recent Australian Open, in the next round.

Linette also secured her place in the last 16 courtesy of a straight-sets victory, getting the better of Mexico’s Renata Zarazua, who can count herself unlucky to go out following a spirited performance in which she pushed her opponent all the way.

A semifinalist at the 2023 Australian Open, Linette edged a tight first set before an even closer second went right to the wire. Even during the tie-break, it was difficult to separate the two players, but with the Pole leading 7-6, an over-hit shot from Zarazua settled the contest.

Linette’s reward is a meeting with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who booked her place in the last 16 courtesy of a 6-3, 6-1 win over 2020 Australian Open champion, Sofia Kenin.

In the doubles, Japanese duo Shuko Aoyama/Eri Hozumi came out on top in their match against Asia Muhammad/Demi Schuurs.

Both pairs had won a set each with relative ease, but the decisive part of the game was a completely different story, going right to the wire as Aoyama/Hozumi eventually sealed their passage with a 2-6, 6-1, 10-8 victory.



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