Raducanu 'proud of effort' despite early exit at Singapore Open

Emma Raducanu, aged 22, maintained a positive outlook despite her first-round exit at the Singapore Open, where the British seventh seed was defeated 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 by Cristina Bucsa, ranked 101st.

Raducanu had previously reached the third round of the Australian Open for the first time in her career, where she faced a loss against Iga Swiatek, the Polish second seed and five-time Grand Slam champion, in straight sets.

Since winning her only major title at the 2021 US Open, Raducanu has struggled with a series of injuries. Her match in Singapore lasted three hours and three minutes against her Spanish rival on Monday.

The 22-year-old expressed satisfaction with her performance, especially following the recent conclusion of her coaching relationship with Nick Cavaday, who stepped back to focus on his health.

"I have the positives from this week, coming here on my own with Yutaka and my mom, but I'm really proud of how I dealt and handled myself this week," Raducanu stated to ESPN, referring to her fitness coach, Yutaka Nakamura.

"I feel okay. I believe there are certain aspects we all manage as the season progresses. It is still early in the year.

"Playing in this type of match is beneficial for me; all I need is time on the court and competitive match situations, which I experienced today. I had more than enough—over three hours—so it is truly valuable for me because every match I play feels like a victory.

"I fought hard and gave my all. I just need to continue building and moving forward."