Raducanu’s Us Open Buildup Gathers Pace With Washington Win Over Kostyuk

Emma Raducanu began her buildup towards adjacent month’s US Open pinch an awesome straight-sets triumph complete seventh seed Marta Kostyuk astatine nan DC Open successful Washington.

Playing her first singles lucifer since stretching world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in nan 3rd information of Wimbledon, Raducanu held disconnected nan Ukrainian world No 27 to propulsion done a gruelling brushwood 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Both players struggled connected service successful a 71-minute opening set, trading early breaks earlier inevitably edging into a tie-break which Raducanu won contempt initially sacrificing a 4-0 lead. The British No 3, who made a uncommon doubles quality alongside Elena Rybakina earlier this week, looked nan fresher of nan brace successful reliable conditions and cemented her superiority by breaking en way to establishing a 3-0 lead successful nan 2nd set.

Kostyuk, who arrived successful Washington having mislaid 5 singles matches successful a statement stretching backmost to May, rallied conscionable erstwhile each seemed lost, breaking Raducanu backmost arsenic she clawed backmost to parity astatine 4-4. Having forced Kostyuk to service to enactment successful nan match, nan Ukrainian handed Raducanu 2 lucifer points pinch a double fault, and nan Briton seized her 2nd chance to book her spot successful nan 2nd round.

“Extremely bully win,” Raducanu said successful her on-court interview. “Playing Marta first information is highly difficult and we’ve ever had immoderate reliable matches. I’m happy pinch nan measurement I fought done nan first group and successful nan second, stayed reliable erstwhile I needed to.”

Venus Williams became nan oldest subordinate to triumph a tour-level singles lucifer for much than 2 decades when she hit chap American Peyton Stearns. In a lucifer of 10 work breaks, Williams, 45, won 6-3, 6-4 to go nan oldest victor since Martina Navratilova, who was 47 successful 2004. It was her first singles triumph since August 2023 and books a last-16 conflict pinch Poland’s Magdalena Frech, nan 5th seed.

The seven-time expansive slam singles tourney victor returned to competitory action aft 16 months retired pinch a doubles triumph alongside Hailey Baptiste connected Monday. “I deliberation it was a large triumph for maine today,” she told nan WTA website. “It won’t beryllium easy. It’s not easy for anyone retired here. So I cognize I’ll person to conflict for each match, but I’m up for that.

“There are nary limits for excellence. It’s each astir what’s successful your caput and really overmuch you’re capable to put into it. If you put successful nan activity mentally, physically, and emotionally, past you tin person nan result.”

Cameron Norrie completed a notable triumph complete 2nd seed and world No 7 Lorenzo Musetti to book his spot successful nan past 16. Norrie, nan world No 41, deed backmost from losing nan opening group to triumph 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 and people his first triumph complete a apical 10-ranked subordinate since reaching nan quarter-finals astatine Indian Wells successful 2023.