The British No. 1’s new WTA Tour campaign got off to a delayed start last week as she was forced to pull out of her opening match at the United Cup due to injury before losing her second encounter against Maria Sakkari.
But in Tasmania, Raducanu overcame a weather delay and a second-set deficit to beat Camila Osorio in straight sets at the Hobart International. She made a good start, winning the opening set 6-3 before finding herself 2-4 behind in the second set when the clash was suspended due to rain in Hobart.
Raducanu, who broke three times in the opening set, was initially 1-4 behind in the second set as the Colombian had broken her serve three times, but she then broke to love in game six to reduce the deficit.
And the match went according to serve in the first three games when play resumed on Wednesday morning, before the world No. 29 got back on serve with a break in game 10 with the set going to a tie-breaker.
Raducanu claimed three mini breaks and, after Osorio saved one match point, she got the job done on the second match point.
“These ones mean so much more,” she said after the match.
“It’s such a fine line between winning and losing a match like that. It can easily affect your whole mood, your whole day, your whole week. I try not to let that happen but it’s very difficult. This is a very good day for sure to stack up.
“Very, very difficult match. We played under all conditions and coming on, coming off, a few times, it was really difficult.
“I don’t think I’ve slept over many matches in between so that was also a new one for me. I thought Camila played an incredible match overall. Such good defence, and then stepped in when I dropped the ball short.
“I’m just really pleased with how I came out today and turned it around and then stuck in during the tie-break.”
Raducanu has moved up one place to No. 28 in the Live Rankings on the back of her win over the three-time WTA singles title winner. Up next is Magdalena Frech, who defeated Elsa Jacquemot in her first-round clash.
