Emma Raducan suffered her third first round loss within two weeks while lost 6-3 7-5 to Ekaterina Alexandrova in Qatar Open.
The 22-year-old British was handed over her second consecutive postcard for the latest WTA tournament in the Middle East, but was given a harsh draw against the Russian world No. 25, which was fresh from the profit of Linz Open week e passed.
Raducanu had beaten Alexandrova impressive in straight groups in the first round of Australian Open last month and served better than the direct loss to Marketa Vondrousova in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, but Rusa was eventually very strong here in moments main in the difficult courts of Doha.
With its direction of three consecutive round losses (Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Qatar) coming shortly after a 6-1 6-0 loss to IgA Swiatek in the third round in Melbourne, the US OPEN 2021 champion has now lost four match for the first time in her career.
Britain started well on Sunday breaking Alexandrova’s service the first to ask, setting an early 3-1 lead, but Russia was then hit immediately to get the next five matches and the first set.
Despite breaking twice in the early exchanges of the second group to lead 3-1 again, Raducanu could not turn the advantage all the way through the group and a decision-making vacation for Alexandrova when it was connected to 5-5 proved the difference.
Raducanu has lost all three games since Nick Cavaday withdrew as her coach for health reasons after Australian Open.
The result of Doha means that Alexandrova, rather than Raducanu, will now face world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the second round of Tuesday.
Elsewhere in the first round in Doha, Alexandrova’s compatriot Mirria Andva – 12-year-old seeds- survived a fear against America Katie Veynets To reach the second round thanks to a 6-4, 6-7, 4-6 return victory.
What happened next Sunday in WTA?
At the end of the WTA 250 event of the week in Transylvani Open, Anastasia Potapova came from behind to beat Lucia bronzetti of Italy 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
The high seed ended its victory in two hours and two minutes. It was the third title of 23-year-old WTA and extended its winning race against Bronzetti to 5-0.
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