Emma Raducanu continued her impressive resurgence on the tennis court by decisively defeating Daria Kasatkina at the Strasbourg International tournament.
Competing as the British number two after accepting a late wildcard into the tournament`s round of 32, Raducanu`s participation proved to be an inspired decision. She secured a dominant straight-sets victory over world number 17 Kasatkina with a score of 6-1, 6-3.
Despite being ranked significantly lower at world number 43 and having previously lost all three encounters against the Russian opponent without winning a single set, the 22-year-old found exceptional form this time, breaking Kasatkina`s serve eight times.
Commenting on her dominant performance, the Bromley-based player stated: “I`m really proud of how I played. I was very aggressive and managed to stay focused in the second set even when things got tight.”
She added, “I feel like I`ve been working towards this. It`s a fantastic feeling.”
“The more time I spend on clay, the more I`m starting to enjoy it. I`m really improving my game on this surface.”
The clay courts at Strasbourg, where this is her final event before the French Open begins on May 25, are identical to those at Roland Garros. This strong performance bodes well for Raducanu, who is set to compete in the French Open for only the second time, having missed the previous two tournaments. Her sole prior appearance was in 2022, where she reached the second round.
Fans quickly reacted to her stunning display online. One commented: “What a performance! Emma took apart a top-20 player as if she was playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon. Ruthless, elegant, composed — the Raducanu renaissance is genuinely happening. Bring on the last 16!”
Another supporter wrote: “A truly dominant performance from Emma Raducanu against a top 20 player she`s struggled against before. Fantastic to witness.”
A third fan noted: “Raducanu has really stepped up her game recently.”
Raducanu`s victory means she will face American Danielle Collins in the round of 16 on May 21.
