New York, Aug. 24 -- Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu marked her return to Flushing Meadows with a commanding first-round victory, defeating Japan's Ena Shibahara 6-1, 6-2 at the Louis Armstrong Stadium here today.
The Brit, who stunned the tennis world by winning the 2021 US Open as a qualifier, showed glimpses of that same ruthless form in a performance built on precision serving, aggressive returning, and improved consistency from the baseline.
Raducanu set the tone early, choosing to serve first - a bold move that paid immediate dividends. She held to love in the opening game and quickly broke Shibahara's serve twice to take full control of the first set, which she wrapped up 6-1 in just over half an hour. Shibahara, ranked highe...