Emma Raducanu says she was preventing in opposition to jet-lag throughout her three-set 6-2 3-6 6-4 opening spherical victory in opposition to Elise Mertens on the Mubadala Metropolis DC Open in Washington.
The 21-year-old, in her first look since a Wimbledon last-16 defeat earlier this month, received 5 straight video games to take the primary set however Mertens, the eighth-seeded Belgian, responded properly to take the second set.
Having arrived on the east coast of the US from the UK on Thursday, Raducanu was battling a five-hour time distinction as the ultimate set went previous 11pm.
However the former US Open champion confirmed her psychological resolve to win the final set, saving 5 break factors at one level to beat Mertens for the second this month following a win at Wimbledon.
“I used to be enjoying some fairly good tennis in patches all through, particularly within the first set and moments within the third set,” mentioned Raducanu.
“I misplaced some focus within the second. It isn’t simple enjoying at 11:30. I obtained right here Thursday evening so I am nonetheless jet-lagged.
“I used to be telling myself, ‘I am not leaving. This isn’t occurring. You are not shedding this match’.”
Raducanu, who remains to be managing her return from ankle and wrist surgical procedure, turned down the chance to play on the 2024 Olympics as a result of she didn’t wish to change again to enjoying on clay forward of the arduous courtroom season.