Raducanu Thrashes Stephens in Eastbourne, Sets Up Pegula Clash

Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, continued her impressive start to the grass-court season with a dominant 6-4, 6-0 victory over Sloane Stephens at the Rothesay International Eastbourne.

Raducanu, who received a wild card into the tournament, displayed her exceptional form, winning the final nine games of the match to secure a second-round clash against No. 2 seed Jessica Pegula.

The 21-year-old Brit started the match cautiously, with Stephens, a former world No. 3, proving to be a formidable opponent. Stephens broke Raducanu's serve to take a 4-3 lead in the first set.

However, Raducanu's resilience shone through as she fought back to win the first set 6-4. From that point on, she dominated the match, not dropping a single game.

Raducanu's performance was characterized by her aggressive play and impressive shot-making. She hit 24 winners to Stephens' 11, while keeping her unforced errors to a minimum (13 compared to Stephens' 15).

The victory marks Raducanu's second win over Stephens, having previously defeated the American in three sets at the 2022 Australian Open.

Raducanu's success at Eastbourne comes after a semifinal finish in Nottingham, where she narrowly lost to Katie Boulter. She opted to skip Roland Garros to focus on preparing for the grass- and hard-court seasons, a decision that appears to have paid off.

In the next round, Raducanu will face Pegula, who is also enjoying a strong comeback after winning the title in Berlin. The match promises to be an exciting clash between two of the most promising players on the WTA Tour.

Tags: #EmmaRaducanu, #SloaneStephens, #RothesayInternationalEastbourne, #GrassCourtSeason, #Tennis