Emma Raducanu suffers match to forget as dismal run against top 10 continues
Emma Raducanu’s wait for a top-ten win continues after she was squashed in straight sets by Ons Jabeur, the second seed in Abu Dhabi.
Raducanu’s 6-4, 6-1 defeat means that her record against opponents ranked in the top ten now stands at played five, lost five, without a single set to her name. But it would be unfair to focus too much on the negatives. Raducanu is still early in her comeback, and there was plenty to like about this performance, especially in a run of three straight games that made the first set interesting.
“Tough match,” said Raducanu afterwards. “I think Ons is a difficult opponent, so credit to her. She played really well, and personally just a match that I need to forget about. She has amazing hand skills, makes life really hard for you on the court. And especially with the balls, which are really heavy and dead, it’s difficult to generate [pace]. So her defensive skills are great and I think that’s something I can improve on too.”
Jabeur is a hot-and-cold sort of player who has turned in some duff performances recently, including a virtual no-show against 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva at last month’s Australian Open which saw the world No 6 win just two games.
This was a completely different story, however. As the most successful Arab player in history, Jabeur is effectively playing at home in Abu Dhabi. (At least, that’s how the local fans see it, even though she actually comes from Tunisia.
She seemed to be inspired by the support, as she struck no fewer than 35 clean winners, which worked out to two per game. Eight of these were aces – for Jabeur hits an unexpectedly big serve for a woman standing only 5ft 6in tall – and several stemmed from her trademark drop shots.
Incoming: an Ons special 🔥@Ons_Jabeur | #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen pic.twitter.com/1CqYNl7kDO
— wta (@WTA) February 7, 2024
Raducanu was guilty of starting slowly, and thus allowing Jabeur to loosen up her own shoulders. Leading the first game of the match by a comfortable 40-15 scoreline, Raducanu coughed up four shoddy errors in as many points to hand over an early break.
On a fast court like the one in Abu Dhabi, you don’t want to be giving away early breaks, and Jabeur was soon consolidating her advantage with a series of aces. She plays quickly, too, so that Raducanu found herself 5-1 down in less than half an hour. The fact that she pulled back to 5-4, saving four set points along the way, showed both character and no little skill. Throughout this period, she was standing toe to toe with Jabeur and delivering highlight-reel winners of her own.
Jabeur just kept swinging, though, and Raducanu was perhaps guilty of playing too much into her forehand, which delivered some thunderous blows. Nevertheless, Raducanu’s tennis this season continues to project more conviction and stability than we have seen since her US Open miracle in 2021. We can only hope that she continues to work with her childhood coach Nick Cavaday, as their alliance feels like it is pushing her in the right direction.
“I’m a big fan of Emma,” said Jabeur in her on-court interview. “Such an amazing player, I really wish her all the best and I know she can play a lot better. I look forward to her winning a lot of matches, but not against me. Everybody has a different story.”
In the short term, Raducanu’s first-round win over world No 36 Marie Bouzkova will boost her lowly ranking (No 291) by around 30 places. Bouzkova supplied a very different standard of opposition to Jabeur, lacking punch from the baseline and offering little except her deft touch at the net. But that was still an encouraging and clinical win, with a dominant scoreline – 6-4, 6-1 – which was mirrored by Raducanu’s second-round loss against Jabeur.
Given a softer draw, Raducanu could easily have gone further in the tournament, but she will now have to return to the practice courts. Her schedule is empty for the moment as she awaits news on a likely wild card for the upcoming WTA event in nearby Doha.
After the Australian Open, Raducanu had mused about dropping down a level to the second-tier ITF circuit, but that was always a worst-case scenario. Her intention now, she says, is to return home after Doha and train for a trip to the USA. As someone who is represented by the IMG management agency, she can be confident of a place at the IMG-run Miami Open in the second half of March. And it seems likely that a wild card for Indian Wells – which precedes Miami – could also be forthcoming, even if Raducanu wasn’t among the 86 women on the player list released on Wednesday night.
The men’s list for Indian Wells features Rafael Nadal, who has not played since damaging a hip in the build-up to last month’s Australian Open. Barring further setbacks, this could be the first event to feature both Nadal and his great rival Novak Djokovic for over a year.
Raducanu vs Jabeur, as it happened
06:00 PM GMT
Jabeur wins in straight sets
Some moments of promise for Raducanu who smoked half a dozen winners of which she can be proud but Jabeur, even after her injury struggles, was just toon good on the day. It’s a long, long road for Raducanu but it’s positive that she has stayed fit and won so well in the first round.
05:52 PM GMT
Ons Jabeur speaks to the hosts
Thank you for coming. She didn’t make it easy for me. She’s an amazing player and I wish her all the best. I’m a big fan of hers and I look forward to seeing her win a lot of matches ... just not against me!
I’m so proud of the WTA, there are so many amazing players and we want you to come and watch us.
I’m very proud to be a Tunisian and Arab woman to show that anything is possible.
05:49 PM GMT
Raducanu 4-6, 1-6 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
A bat-squeak from Jabeur when she slips and hooks a forehand long but that deep crosscourt winner allows her to level up at 30-all. She smokes the next forehand winner too and leaves Raducanu groping after the ball in vain then ties up the match with one last scorching forehand.
05:46 PM GMT
Raducanu* 4-6, 1-5 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
Raducanu wastes a challenge asking for a review of Jabeur’s gorgeous backhand crosscourt drop shot, all in vain. And then a kiss of the net cord gives her a 40-15 lead.
She tries the tweener when going the wrong way but nets her improv shot but pays no mind to the egg on her face when she wraps up the hold with a caustic serve.
05:43 PM GMT
Raducanu 4-6, 1-4 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
Double break for Jabeur who, now fully fit, has too much nous and class for Raducanu at this stage of her comeback.
Raducanu played a v convincing match vs. Bouzkova, but continues to need quite a bit of time to set up for her shots; when she gets that time results can be explosive, but that's a luxury not often afforded esp vs opponents like Ons who's stayed close to baseline & blitzed her
— hypotemuse (@hypotemuse) February 7, 2024
05:40 PM GMT
Raducanu* 4-6, 1-3 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
We haven’t seen Jabeur at the net too much but now Raducanu is finding it difficult to cope with her serve, she approaches it to nail two volley winners. Following that with another handsome disguised forehand crosscourt winner and a heavy serve out wide that Raducanu can’t get over on her backhand side.
05:35 PM GMT
Raducanu 4-6, 1-2 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
Outrageous forehand drop shot return from Jabeur which, she acknowledged, she framed, earns her a love-15 lead. She holds up a hand in modest apology. The net becomes Raducanu’s friend as she levels up at 30-all until Jabeur’s cute, deft, running, drop winner, the ball fading to kiss the paint after it cleared the net. Utterly unreachable..
Raducanu fires back a forehand cross winner to take it to deuce, then pushes her deep and goes to the net to smash a winner off Jabeur’s scrambling, backhand defensive chip.
Raducanu’s own backhand lets her down at advantage and Jabeur completes the old switcheroo to move to nreak point with a venomous forehand winner up the line.
Raducanu defends it with a backhand drop winner ... Jabeur regains the initiative with a biffing forehand crosscourt winner and breaks her when Raducanu tamely pans a forehand into the heart of the net.
05:29 PM GMT
Raducanu* 4-6, 1-1 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
The errors are coming now from Jabeur if Raducanu can execute but at 15-30 ahead she nets a pair of crosscourts and seemingly lets her off the hook.
Jabeur then hold with another harpoon bolt of a crosscourt forehand.
05:25 PM GMT
Raducanu 4-6, 1-0 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
Jabeur ramps up the pressure on Raducanu and elicits a couple of errors that leave her in a bit of a pickle, if not a hole, at 15-30. Her wide, deep second serve, though, surprises Jabeur and ties things up at 30-all. And she rallies to hold it with efficient defence and earning the unforced errors from her opponent.
Regardless of scoreline, just great to see Emma Raducanu on court, exchanging winners galore with Ons Jabeur.
— David Law (@DavidLawTennis) February 7, 2024
05:20 PM GMT
Raducanu* 4-6 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
Some promising signs of fight and toughness from Raducanu over the last five games but she is blown away in this one, Jabeur holding to love to take the first set.
05:17 PM GMT
The correspondent's view
Jabeur has come out in a hurry here, putting her full bodyweight into almost every shot. She’s approaching the match in quite a loose and fearless way, and it’s paying off. She’s an vibes-y player who can get on hot or cold streaks, depending on the day. In the circumstances, Raducanu should rue four absolutely dreadful points in a row at the end of the first game, which turned a comfortable 40-15 lead into a break of serve. Otherwise, she has looked solid - but solid may not be enough if this continues.
05:16 PM GMT
Raducanu 4-5 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
But just when you think the tide may be turning, Raducanu is forced to defend two set points after Jabeur foxes her with a lovely back-hand drop. She saves both with a pair of rasping crosscourt forehands and at deuce, takes advantage when she wrongfoots Jabeur, hitting back to her forehand side.
Now it’s Jabeur’s turn to cuff a forehand crosscourt winner to take it back to deuce, moving Raducanu to do the same to regain advantage. Very much a tit for tat exchange this.
And Raducanu holds, punishing Jabeur’s shortish return.
05:09 PM GMT
Raducanu* 3-5 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
Two forehand errors from Jabeur give Raducanu a love-30 lead as the former US Open champion tries to test her opponent’s fitness by manipulating her from wing to wing. But Jabeur nails a forehand winner and an ace to make it 30-40 after another error and then Raducanu hooks her return long. Deuce.
Jabeur nails another wide serve that Raducanu cannot cope with on her forehand side but after she nets a drop shot, Jabeur smokes an ace down the centre to move to set point again.
Raducanu defends it with a fizzing forehand off second serve and moves to advantage herself with a blistering forehand winner to the bottom left corner.
The Briton seals the break with another forehand pushed wide to her opponent’s ad court and she cannot flick her backhand over the net.
05:01 PM GMT
Raducanu 2-5 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
And then, out of nowhere, Raducanu holds to love in a game of no rallies and excellent. penetrating, deep serves
04:59 PM GMT
Raducanu* 1-5 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
A withering forehand winner and a pair of aces from Jabeur are enough to take her to 40-15, her rose punctuated only by a fine Radicanu backhand crosscourt winner. And she seals the hold with a wide serve that Raducanu can only just reach and drag into the net.
04:56 PM GMT
Raducanu 1-4 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
Raducanu’s serve continues to click until she takes a 40-15 lead but a successful Jabeur challenge after the match’s longest rally and a fine crosscourt forehand winner level it up at deuce.
An unforced Raducanu error, driving a forehand out, makes it ad Jabeur but the break point is solidly defended as Jabeur clumps her backhand into the net. Break point No2 comes when Jabeur pushes Raducanu too deep for her comfort and she hooks her forehand wide. Now she has to defend it on second serve which she does with a kicker and some dynamism around the back court, going from corner to corner. Deuce x3.
Another brilliant forehand winner from ‘the Minister of Happiness’ earns her a break point and Raducanu, when trying to lobe her, goes too long. That’s the double break and a mountain to climb for Raducanu.
04:47 PM GMT
Raducanu* 1-3 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
Not much pace on Jabeur’s firts serve but enough spin and kick to diddle Raducanu to take a 15-love lead but, when pushed back by Raducanu’s returns, she twice makes backhand errors and ER jumps ahead. Now she gets the backhand to click, firing one up the line to make it 30-30 before taking the lead with a canny, disguised, crosscourt forehand winner. And she closes out the hold by painting the service line and giving Raducanu no bounce to work with.
04:43 PM GMT
Raducanu 1-2 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
Raducanu finds her range with her serve and races to a 40-love lead, pushing Jabeur deep and wide and forcing her to chop her low backhand into the net to allow the Briton to hold to love.
Jabeur has been thrashed 3 times in her last 5 matches. If Raducanu can cut out the errors, she can win this, then Haddad- Maia in the next round.
— Bryan7Robson (@Black8mamba2) February 7, 2024
04:40 PM GMT
Raducanu* 0-2 Jabeur (*denotes next server)
The two trade smoking forehand winners to take it to 30-15 before Jabeur blazes the first ace up the centre mark to earn her two game points. Raducanu defends the first on Jabeur’s second serve but can’t get the return back over at the next point and Jabeur doubles her lead.
04:36 PM GMT
Raducanu 0-1 Jabeur* (*denotes next server)
A shoirt delay while some of the crowd takes their seats. Jabeur hoops her forehand return long to allow Raducanu to take the lead but then fires a forehand crosscourt at her opponent’s feet after Raducanu’s short second serve to tie it up at 15-all.
A long volley at the net from Jabeur, swatting at it rather than deflecting it drop-shot style, flies out and Raducanu then nails her first serve and Jabeur nets a forehand. 40-15.
Raducanu makes good ground to get to the net but swipes a volley wide and then fires another forehand into the tramlines to allow Jabeur make deuce. More unforced errors, again on her forehand, give the Tunisian the advantage and a double fault gift wraps the break from 40-15 up.
04:28 PM GMT
Raducanu and Jabeur are out knocking up
Raducanu is now ranked at 296, Jabeur is at four. It’s the last match of round two and the winner will play Bia Haddad Maia in the quarters.
Jabeur has won the toss and elected to receive.
03:59 PM GMT
Preview: Can Raducanu maintain her aggressive approach?
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the Abu Dhabi open second-round match between Emma Raducanu and world No6 Ons Jabeur. Raducanu is here by virtue of her 6-4, 6-1 victory over world No 36 Marie Bouzkova on Monday and Tunisia’s double Wimbledon singles runner-up got through because she’s the No 2 seed and was given a first-round bye. These two have never met before but the word from the Emirate is that the relative lack of bounce on the court ought to favour Jabeur despite her rather shonky form since her great disappointment in last year’s Wimbledon final.
Raducanu, understandably, was cock-a-hoop about her victory even if the trading of losses of serve in the first set before she summoned the old aggression and blew Bouzkova away was slightly worrying. “I think in the beginning I was just adjusting to the speed of the court. I hadn’t played on this court this year yet, so I was kind of just adjusting,” she said.
“It was pretty quick and also a lot more still than it had been for the week, because it’s been very windy, so it was a different tempo. Marie is a really tough opponent. I knew that going in I was going to have to play so many balls and I think in the beginning I was missing a few of the finishing shots, but I cleaned that up so I’m very happy about it.”
Victory for Jabeur would represent one more step along the path to her ultimate goal, as she told Forbes last year, but she also has a broader mission in mind. “I want to show the girls from my region that you can do anything, that nothing is impossible, that you could be successful, not just in sport but in business in general, in fashion, music or anything,” she said.
“But the most important thing,” she continues, “is that I know I won’t give up until I achieve what I meant to achieve. I try to use that pressure as something very positive for me, to move forward and hopefully get that Grand Slam one day.”
