Emma Raducanu: Confident I’m moving in right direction after two painful defeats

Emma Raducanu believes she is moving in the right direction, but acknowledged it was hard to quickly get over two painful defeats to Jessica Pegula and Barbora Krejcikova last month.

Raducanu squandered three match points in a last-16 tie with former Wimbledon champion Krejcikova at the Korea Open on September 18 before – a fortnight later – history repeated itself with the British number one unable to close out victory against Pegula.

The 2021 US Open champion had a 5-2 advantage over world number seven Pegula at the China Open before she let slip three match points to lose 3-6 7-6 (9) 6-0.

Ahead of her participation in the Wuhan Open, the 22-year-old was eager to draw on the positives.

“Yeah, I think it was hard for me. The last two matches that I lost, I had match points in both and it’s not something that’s really happened to me before and then to happen twice in a week was pretty new to get my head around,” Raducanu told a press conference.

“The second match, I found it easier to get over than the first because I know I was playing some better tennis and just improving with my level.

“I feel like I didn’t take too long to kind of dwell on it and just got straight back to work.

“And I do feel like I’m improving and making progress.

“I still see the differences in where I want to go but I know I’m doing good work day-to-day to try and get there.”