‎Emma Raducanu has suffered a defeat in the second round of Australian Open by Austria’s Anastasia Potapova, denying the Briton a meeting with world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
‎Raducanu, seeded 28th, lost 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 against 55th-ranked Potapova in Melbourne on Tuesday
‎The British number one looked flat in her mood and movement, with mistakes coming from all parts of her game.
‎The 23-year-old lacked certainty in the forehand she recently tweaked, while a wild drive volley at an important stage in the first set and a double fault to hand over a break for 4-1 in the second further added to her discomfort.
‎Former US Open champion Raducanu, seeded at a Grand Slam for the first time in more than three years, had her off-season disrupted by a foot injury and did not return to court for hitting sessions until 20 December.
‎While she improved to beat 197th-ranked Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the first round, she looked undercooked against Potapova.
‎Eyes had inevitably drawn towards the potential meeting with Sabalenka – but this loss was a sharp reminder of where Raducanu’s level remains.
Edited by Favour Owonibi.