Emma Raducanu finds serve at Nottingham Open that will allow her to compete with world’s best

Emma Raducanu said she was particularly pleased with how she served after completing an impressive 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ukrainian Daria Snigur in Nottingham, which saw the Briton through to her first WTA-event quarter-final on grass.

Raducanu, who fired down 11 aces and quite a few unreturnable serves at key moments in the match, noted that you “need a first serve” to play against the best women in the world such as Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka and said it was something she had been working hard on this year.

The 21-year-old spent eight months out injured last year following surgery to both wrists and one ankle, before returning in January. She appears to have remodelled her service action slightly on her return, cutting the loop out of it so that her racket comes up in front of her before the drop.

Whether it was the action, the windy conditions, or the speed at which the ball was skidding through on the grass, Raducanu’s serve proved a potent weapon against the unorthodox Snigur, an old adversary from her junior days who won Junior Wimbledon in 2019.

In total, the 2021 US Open champion hit 11 aces to Snigur’s one, winning 71 per cent of points on first serve compared with her opponent’s 58 per cent.

“I have been working on every part of my game, but obviously the serve is very important,” Raducanu admitted afterwards. “Since the Middle East [swing], I’ve definitely been working on that. I’m pleased to see the rewards in competition.”

Asked whether it had become more powerful, Raducanu added: “I don’t know. I don’t look at the speed gun. [But] when I raise my game - like at break point down, or at certain points of the game - it’s nice to get a couple of free points, or one free point per game. It makes a huge difference. I don’t think I was able to get that at the beginning of the year.”

She added: “Playing a lot of matches with just a second serve is never fun. Especially against top opponents, like Iga or Aryna, you need a first serve to play them because they’re very comfortable holding serve, and if you don’t have one yourself then it’s very difficult to be on a level playing field.”

Raducanu’s first serves were regularly coming through at between 105mph and 110mph, which is still some way short of the two players she cited, although the cold Nottingham conditions will not have helped. Either way, she had too much for Snigur, whose dispassionate demeanour on court, and unorthodox action – the Ukrainian hits the ball incredibly flat, particularly on the forehand side - belies an effective game.

Raducanu was actually broken by Snigur in her opening service game of the match, before reeling off six games in a row to take the first set 6-2. The second set sped by similarly quickly, with Raducanu managing to close things out more efficiently than she did on Tuesday against Japan’s Ena Shibahara.

On that occasion, Raducanu was twice broken when trying to serve for the match. This time she needed only one service game, although she did have to save a break point with a big first serve.

“Today I was a lot better at closing out, so I can take confidence from that,” reflected Raducanu, who downplayed some coughing during the match, saying she was “a bit sick - but who isn’t?”

Raducanu added: “Playing Daria, she’s really tricky on this surface, the ball is so low, it’s not like any other opponent on the tour.”

Raducanu, whose win sees her jump 26 places, to No 183 in the world, will play the winner of Briton Francesca Jones and American Ashlyn Krueger for a place in the semi-finals, potentially against British No 1 Katie Boulter.

Jones, 23, was leading 6-4 4-6 6-5, and serving for the match at 30-30, when rain stopped play on Thursday afternoon.

Emma Raducanu through to Nottingham quarter-finals:  As it happened

01:30 PM BST

Who will Raducanu play next?

Raducanu now awaits the winner for Briton Francesca Jones and American Ashlyn Krueger. That would be another winnable match for her and a place in the semi-final could then see a match against British No 1 Katie Boulter.

01:21 PM BST

Reaction on X

01:11 PM BST

Watch: The winning moment for Raducanu

01:02 PM BST

Raducanu 6-2, 6-2 Snigur

Flat forehand by Snigur drifts wide and Raducanu leads, 15-0. Snigur hits back with a big backhand down the line winner.

Raducanu nets a backhand, 15-30. Perfect swerving first serve down the T by Raducanu is an ace, 30-30.

Break point for Snigur is cancelled out by an unreturnable first serve. Match point Raducanu when Snigur’s return is long. Good rally by Snigur and she forces an error from Raducanu. Saved again with a backhand winner.

Second match point for Raduanu when Snigur nets a backhand. Aggressive tennis by Snigur and she finishes with a drive volley. Third match point ... GAME SET MATCH RADUCANU.

Raducanu books her place in the quarter-finals when Snigur defensive forehand on the run goes long.

12:53 PM BST

‘Will be interesting to see how Raducanu manages’

There’s some sort of tennis tots event going on outside the court. Sounds absolutely wild. Shrieking and screaming. Raducanu doing well to block it out. She had a bit of trouble closing out against Shibahara. Will be interesting to see how she manages this next service game.

12:52 PM BST

Raducanu* 6-2, 5-2 Snigur

Problems for Snigur after back-to-back forehands give Raducanu three break points. Snigur saves the first two. One more to go...

And Raducanu breaks. Deep return rushes Snigur and the Ukrainian nets a forehand to drop serve. Raducanu to serve for the match next.

12:50 PM BST

Raducanu 6-2, 4-2 Snigur*

Shot of the day from Raducanu as she steers a backhand down the line with her opponent going the other way, 30-15.

Raducanu is struggling with her ball toss as the wind picks up. Snigur gets a look at a second serve and drills backhand return which is too hot for Raducanu, break point.

Saved by Raducanu with a timely first serve. Big serve by Raducanu snuffs out another break point for Snigur, who has lifted her game at this stage of the match.

Raducanu bangs in another first serve, chalk flies up and the ball flies away for an ace. Gutsy hold by Raducanu.

12:40 PM BST

Raducanu* 6-2, 3-2 Snigur

The line calling is starting to frustrate the players. Both feel hard done but the calls stand so they have to move on. Snigur holds to love when Raducanu fails to return a wide serve.

12:37 PM BST

Raducanu 6-2, 3-1 Snigur*

Raducanu responds to a backhand winner by Snigur with an ace, 30-30. Her serve has been very impressive today. She’s won 75 per cent of first serve points and getting 65 per cent of first serves in play.

A serve into the body finds the line and Snigur nets her return. Break consolidated the task for Snigur gets even harder.

12:31 PM BST

Raducanu* 6-2, 2-1 Snigur

This has been a match short on rallies over six shots. Not sure whether that’s the court speed or the quality on display but nevertheless Snigur nets a forehand to give Raducanu a break point.

Double fault by Snigur and Raducanu breaks again.

12:28 PM BST

‘Windy Nottingham’

Raducanu aborted a second serve there, after the wind caught it. It really is quite windy here in Nottingham. Not sure to what extent that is coming through on TV.

12:27 PM BST

Raducanu 6-2, 1-1 Snigur*

Raducanu is ranked 209th in the world but she is playing like a top 100 player. She holds to 30 to maintain her momentum.

12:21 PM BST

Second Set: Raducanu* 6-2, 0-1 Snigur

Raducanu disagrees with another line call. Umpire says he saw some chalk fly up. Love hold from Snigur ends Raducanu’s run of games.

12:20 PM BST

Reaction on X

12:17 PM BST

Raducanu 6-2 Snigur*

Raducanu is creating so many openings for herself with the easy power she possesses in her game. Snigur is struggling to live with it. Another ace gives Raducanu three set points.

And at the first time of asking she takes it when Snigur’s backhand return goes wide. Opening set to the Briton.

12:12 PM BST

Raducanu* 5-2 Snigur

Drop shot into the net by Snigur gives Raducanu another break point and she takes it when Snigur nets a backhand. Raducanu breaks for the second time and wins her fifth game in a row.

12:10 PM BST

Raducanu 4-2 Snigur*

Ideal service game by Raducanu as she holds to love and consolidates the break. She is getting a lot of joy serving out wide to Snigur and moves to six aces for the match already.

The crowd has been a bit muted but they enjoyed that quick hold.

12:06 PM BST

Raducanu* 3-2 Snigur

Frustration from Raducanu after Snigur’s forehand is called in. She hasn’t liked the line calls this week. But she’s happier when a double fault by Snigur gives her two break points.

Snigur saves the first but not the second as a forehand into the net gives Raducanu the break.

12:03 PM BST

Raducanu 2-2 Snigur*

Raducanu should be looking to impose herself on this match. She has more power in her groundstrokes and needs to stay patient, not look to hit winners off every short ball. First double fault of the match makes it 40-30 then a wild forehand makes it deuce.

Snigur picks up a break point when she puts a backhand after pulling Raducanu off the court. Saved by Raducanu when a backhand return down the line just misses.

Another break point for Snigur when Raducanu’s forehand pass drifts like. Credit to Raudanu, she is having to graft here, third ace of the match and she eventually holds when Snigur dumps a forehand into the net.

11:55 AM BST

Raducanu* 1-2 Snigur

Immediate break back chance for Raducanu after Snigur’s backhand goes long. Deep return by Raducanu and Snigur can’t handle the pace and pushes her backhand into the tramlines.

Raducanu breaks back.

11:52 AM BST

Raducanu 0-2 Snigur*

Careless start from Raducanu as she hits a drop shot into the tramlines. It didn’t need to be so close. Slight miscue on the forehand return by Snigur but it beats Raducanu and zips off the surface for a winner, 15-30.

Good response by Raducanu as she hits her first ace of the match to level the game but a backhand clips the net cord and flies wide to make it deuce.

Decent return by Snigur puts Raducanu on the backfoot and she nets a forehand, break point. Big ‘come on’ from Raducanu after wrong footing Snigur with a forehand winner. Poor backhand into the net by Raducanu gifts Snigur a second break point.

And a forehand into the net by Raducanu leads to a break of serve. Not the ideal start from Raducanu. Sloppy errors gifts her serve away.

11:45 AM BST

First Set: Emma Raducanu* 0-1 Daria Snigur (*denotes next server)

Raducanu has won back-to-back matches just twice this year. Today is a winnable match for her to make it three times.

But Snigur makes a strong start, holding 15 and with little fuss. She hits a very flat ball. Couple of shots catching out Raducanu with its depth and weight.

11:41 AM BST

Raducanu skipped the French Open to prepare for the grass court season

11:37 AM BST

Here we go!

Big smile on Raducanu’s face as she walks out on court after Snigur.

Raducanu wins the toss and opts to receive. Blustery conditions in Nottingham which could impact things.

11:23 AM BST

Raducanu back in action

Hello and welcome to coverage of Emma Raducanu’s second round match at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham.

The Briton made a strong start to her campaign when she beat Japanese-American qualifier Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-4.

Today she faces Ukrainian Daria Snigur for a place in the quarter-finals.

Raducanu said: “I remember playing her at the Under-12s Winter Cup in Romania. She’s a very unorthodox opponent to play. Someone with amazing hand skills. Really good at deflecting pace. Really good at making me move. She’s someone I grew up playing with in juniors.

“But I haven’t actually spent that much time on the court with her. She makes life very difficult for her opponents and it’s important that I focus on my end of the court. It’s very easy to get frustrated but I’m looking forward to playing and I feel good in myself.”

When asked if she has sympathy for her opponent, who resides in Poland due to Russia-Ukraine conflict, Raducanu said: “It’s not an easy situation at all. I do sympathise for her, for having to go through that. At the end of the day, when we’re on the court, it’s two people trying to beat each other and there’s nothing more to it.”

On Tuesday, Raducanu grew frustrated with line calls in her match, 24 hours after Harriet Dart called for electronic line technology at all tournaments.

“I feel this year Hawk-Eye has been a little bit off – I don’t know why,” said Raducanu. “I think there is a beauty in having all the linesmen and it does add to the drama for the spectators. For us it can be the most frustrating thing ever.”

With Wimbledon less than three weeks away, Raducanu will be keen to go deep into the event, get match practice and build confidence.

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