Emma Raducanu treated on court as she exits Australian Open،
Emma Raducanu's Australian Open campaign came to an end on Thursday as she was beaten 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 by Wang Yafan in the second round in Melbourne.
The 21-year-old, who missed the last eight months due to injury, took time to adapt to Melbourne's windy conditions and made numerous errors to lose the first set to her Chinese opponent.
Raducanu continued to falter early in the second before fighting back in style to take the match to a deciding third set.
But the former US Open champion appeared to struggle to physically match her opponent as the competition took its toll on the young Briton, with Raducanu calling a physiotherapist and having her blood pressure taken with her head wrapped in a white towel.
She was eventually able to continue after receiving treatment, but could not replicate her best form despite a valiant effort as Wang ended Raducanu's tournament in the second round.
When asked how she felt during and after the match, Raducanu told reporters: “Now I feel a little better. I had some time. During the match, I would say, like, in the third set, I had 30-Love up at the service. Then all of a sudden I felt really sick, really weak and nauseous.
“Throughout the third set, I think everyone could see that it was a bit of a battle. Physically, I felt good. It was more like I was throwing up in my mouth. Then after the match, it came out. Now I'm fine. Yeah, I'll get over it. It's just a shame with the timing.
“Honestly, I've been in this situation before in matches, whether due to illness or injury, and I've given up several times,” Raducanu added. “I think, to be honest, with what I went through last year, it feels very bad at the moment, at some moments I couldn't see the ball very well, but I think with everything What I went through last year made me so much harder.
“I had no chance of getting out. She was going to have to beat me, and she did. She served everything. I think the last year off and also just with the amount of blame and everything I I had setbacks, it made me a lot tougher.”
Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie battled through adversity, injuries and rain delays to complete an incredible comeback at the Australian Open on Thursday by reaching the third round of the tournament for the third time in his career.
The 28-year-old ultimately defeated Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri 3-6, 6-7, (4-7), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting with 11th seed Casper Ruud during the next match. round of the competition.
Zeppieri took just 32 minutes to win the first set and broke early in the second, with Norrie returning in the third when the Briton took the first of several medical timeouts to repair his right knee.
Two rain delays in the middle and another at the end of the third set meant that the three-hour bout ultimately stretched to almost six hours, but the frequent stoppages ultimately benefited Norrie as No. 1 British men's team rallied to win the remaining sets. and ensure its progress in Melbourne.
Britons Katie Boulter and Jack Draper lost second round matches to Zheng Qinwen and Tommy Paul respectively.
Boulter fell behind early on as Zheng, the 12th seed, dominated the first set but fought to control the second but committed two double faults in windy conditions to lose her advantage.
Zheng ultimately won the match 6-3, 6-3 in a marathon ninth game of the second set where she saved six break points from Boulter before finally securing her progression to the third round with her sixth match point after an attempt fiery. to avoid defeat against the British women's No. 1.
British number 4 Draper was outclassed 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 by 14th-seeded American Paul on a day that left just one British player in the field. competition.
