Emma Raducanu loses first match since coaching split – and the brutal stats explain why
Emma Raducanu suffered a disheartening three-set loss in her first match since splitting with coach Nick Cavaday at the Singapore Open.
The 2021 US Open champion lost 7-5, 5-7, 5-7 to world ranked 101 Cristina Bucsa in the first round of the WTA 250 tournament that went on for more than three hours.
She came back from being a break down at 4-5 in the first set to win it, then her 27-year-old Spanish opponent levelled the match by narrowly taking the second set.
In the deciding set, Raducanu held a lead of a break up at 2-0 and 3-1, however, she failed to build on this advantage as her opponent broke back each time.
The 22-year-old British player was leading 5-4 at one point, having gone up a break at 4-3. But Spain's Bucsa came back to win the final three games and secured her place in the second round.
Raducanu's display was marred by problems with her serve - and the statistics show up just how difficult she found it.
She turned in a strong performance with seven aces, converted 73% of her initial serves into wins, and successfully claimed 64% of points after landing her first serves.
The world No 56 won only eight of the 33 points she played on her second serve, which works out to a remarkably low conversion rate of 24%.
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In the third round, Raducanu was broken four times as she committed four doubles faults and won just 8% of the points she attempted on her second serve - only one out of 13.
While Raducanu defeated Bucsa eight times, she was broken by her opponent nine times, the last one turning out to be the crucial mistake.
It proved to be a missed chance for Raducanu, who would have gone up against qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew, ranked 132 in the world for the second round.
Emma Raducanu suffered a loss following an unexpected split with her coach, just a few months after her US Open triumph.
It was recently confirmed that Nick Cavaday parted company with his position as Raducanu's coach last week.
The pair have a long history of working together, having first teaming up when Raducanu was still a child, and they recently resumed their partnership this season, with the British tennis player successfully climbing back to the top 100 of the WTA Rankings, having previously fallen out of them after being laid up with injuries that necessitated surgery for much of last year.
The former world's number one had indicated that she was keen to continue a long-term partnership with Cavaday, but the coach intimated that he is stepping down at his own behest.
"I've really enjoyed collaborating with Emma during her 14-month period of employment here," Cavaday explained.
At the present moment, I must devote extra time to obtaining a complete recovery at home, which is challenging due to my already extensive schedule.
I'm delighted to see Emma back in the spotlight and performing well on tour, with a ranking well within the top 60; I'm eager to observe her future progress.
Raducanu also expressed her gratitude: "I'd like to thank Nick for a fantastic partnership over the past year or so."
“I'm especially grateful for his support following surgery, which allowed me to get back on track and regain my position within the world's top 60. I wish him all the best in what comes next and I'm certain we'll stay in touch.”
Raducanu's run in the Australian Open came to an end at the third-round stage, as world No 2 Iga Swiatek defeated her in a match that took place with Cavaday providing coaching support from the sidelines.
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