Emma Raducanu’s miserable record against Iga Swiatek continued as she was outclassed by the defending champion in their French Open second-round meeting.
The British number two was beaten 6-1 6-2 on the Paris clay and has now lost all five of her matches against the five-time Grand Slam winner.
It was another reminder of the gulf that still exists between 41st-ranked Raducanu and the leading players on the WTA Tour.
After being unable to convert a break point in the second game, 22-year-old Raducanu quickly lost her way as fifth seed Swiatek rattled off five games in a row.
Raducanu’s second serve was placed under serious pressure and her groundstrokes became increasingly ragged as the 23-year-old from Poland secured the opening set in 35 minutes.
Swiatek, who has won four of the past five Roland Garros titles, is known as the ‘Queen of Clay’ because of her formidable record here and quickly moved a break ahead at 2-1 in the second set.
After a below-par clay-court swing, though, there are some questions about her level and they resurfaced when Raducanu threatened to break back immediately.
But Swiatek managed to maintain her intensity under pressure – one of the key differences between players of her status and Raducanu – to save three break points in a lengthy fourth game.
Raducanu, who was sick before her opening match on Monday, began to run out of steam and lost the final three games with little resistance.—BBC
