Emma Raducanu mentioned she was contending with jet lag during her three-set match, winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 against Elise Mertens in the opening round of the Mubadala City DC Open in Washington.
In her first match since exiting in the last-16 at Wimbledon earlier this month, the 21-year-old secured the first set after a strong run of five consecutive games, but Mertens, the eighth seed from Belgium, made a strong comeback to claim the second set.
Raducanu arrived on the East Coast from the UK on Thursday and had to navigate a five-hour time difference as the final set stretched beyond 11 PM.
Demonstrating her mental toughness, the former US Open champion prevailed in the last set, fending off five break points at one stage to secure her victory over Mertens for the second time this month following their encounter at Wimbledon.
“I played well in phases, particularly in the first set and at times during the third,” Raducanu remarked.
“I did lose some concentration in the second set. Playing at 11:30 isn’t easy. I got here Thursday night, so I’m still battling jet lag.
“I kept telling myself, ‘I’m not leaving. This cannot happen. You’re not losing this match.’”
Raducanu, who is currently recovering from ankle and wrist surgery, opted against participating in the 2024 Olympics as she preferred not to switch back to clay before the hard court season.
