Emma Raducanu has clinched her first victory of the 2026 tennis season, overcoming a rain delay and a determined opponent to progress at the Hobart International.
A Match of Two Days
The British number one and top seed was forced to battle over two days to secure her place in the next round. On Tuesday, her match against Colombia's Camila Osorio was halted due to rain with Raducanu trailing 4-2 in the second set.
Returning to court on Wednesday, the 23-year-old served at deuce and displayed immediate focus and sharpness. She completed a 6-3, 7-6 (2) victory, wrapping up the contest she had left unfinished the previous day.
Turning the Tide
This was only Raducanu's second match of the year, following a loss to Maria Sakkari at the United Cup last week. That defeat came after a pre-season hampered by a foot injury, which had left her looking underprepared.
She admitted to struggling with momentum shifts during Tuesday's play, but her performance on the resumption was faultless. Raducanu applied instant pressure, eventually breaking Osorio's serve at 5-4 when the Colombian was serving for the set.
Although world number 82 Osorio forced a tie-break, Raducanu maintained her composure and dominance to seal the win, celebrating with a triumphant fist pump and shout.
Relief and Resolution
"Very, very difficult match," Raducanu said in her on-court interview. "We played under all conditions and coming on, coming off a few times, it was really difficult. I don't think I've slept over many matches in between so that was also a new one for me."
She praised her opponent's resilience, saying, "I thought Camila played an incredible match overall. Such good defence, and then stepped in when I dropped the ball short. I'm just really pleased with how I came out today and turned it around and then stuck in during the tie-break."
The win marks Raducanu's first since September, providing a significant confidence boost. She was due to face Magdalena Frech in the second round, but the Pole has withdrawn through injury, posting the news on social media. This gives Raducanu a walkover into a quarter-final clash against Australian Taylah Preston.
Mixed Fortunes for British Contenders
While Raducanu advanced, there was disappointment for fellow British number one Cameron Norrie in Auckland. Playing at the ASB Classic in the city where he grew up, Norrie suffered a second-round exit.
He lost a tight three-set battle to France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), despite having a match point in the tenth game of the deciding set.
