Ruthless Raducanu storms into Cincinnati third round
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Raducanu stormed into the third round of Cincinnati Open with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Victoria Azarenka.
CINCINNATI (Reuters) - Emma Raducanu stormed into the third round of the Cincinnati Open with a 6-0 6-2 thrashing of Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday (Aug 17), signalling she will be well prepared for her US Open title defence.
For the second straight match Raducanu delivered a dominating display, the 10th seed needing just 62 minutes on centre court to dismiss the twice Australian Open winner from Belarus after thumping Serena Williams 6-4 6-0 in the first round.
"I was playing a great match for sure and to play Vika I had to stay focused throughout," said Raducanu in a post-match on court interview. "In the second set I could feel the important moments and a couple of turning points that could have made the second set really difficult.
"I am really pleased with how I dug in and serving it out in that last game was really difficult."
Raducanu, who has not won a tournament since capturing last year s title at Flushing Meadows as a 150th-ranked qualifier, appears to again be hitting her stride with the season s final Grand Slam running from Aug 29 to Sep 11 in New York.
After committing just one unforced error in her match against Williams, the 19-year-old Briton was again firing on all cylinders as she raced out to 6-0 4-0 lead before Azarenka, twice a winner of the event, was able to hold serve and avoid the embarrassment of a double-bagel exit.
Looking every bit like the player who stunned the tennis world a year ago with her magical run in Flushing Meadows, Raducanu had all parts of her game working, laying down five aces and unleashing a barrage of returns and flurry of winners.
Raducanu next takes on American seventh seed Jessica Pegula.
