Tennis-Relentless Raducanu races into U.S. Open last 16

September 4, 2021

NEW YORK (Reuters) – British teenager Emma Raducanu extended her dream run at Flushing Meadows with a stunning 6-0 6-1 win over Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo to race into the U.S. Open last 16 on Saturday.

The 18-year-old Raducanu, who burst onto the scene earlier this year by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon in her first Grand Slam appearance, was utterly dominant against Sorribes Tormo, closing out the one-sided match in 70 minutes.

Raducanu, who came to New York ranked 150th in the world, has breezed through all three of her matches without dropping a set and won a hugely impressive 79% of her first-serve points while smashing 23 winners past her hapless opponent.

“I was playing very well and I know Sara is an extremely tough opponent,” Raducanu said in her on-court interview. “I had to work so hard and there were some really long deuce games that could have gone either way.

“I’m just very glad I was able to maintain it and win in the end. For this one the plan was I had to hit through her and into the corners. I just took the game to her and I hit more winners than errors today.”

The 24-year-old Sorribes Tormo, the world number 41, had no answer to the youngster’s combination of power, guile and court coverage, folding meekly and managing just five winners in the face of Raducanu’s relentless onslaught.

The only blemish for the Briton came when serving for the match as nerves got the better of her and she let a 30-0 lead slip to allow her opponent to get on the scoresheet before sealing the win on Sorribes Tormo’s serve in the next game.

Next up for Raducanu is a possible clash with top-seeded Australian Ash Barty, who faces American Shelby Rogers in the third round later on Saturday.

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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