Emma Raducanu's Return to Tennis Marred by Defeat to Maria Sakkari
British number one Emma Raducanu suffered a surprise defeat on her return to competitive tennis at the United Cup in Perth, Australia. The 23-year-old was beaten by Greek player Maria Sakkari in straight sets, losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
Raducanu's exit from the tournament follows a long lay-off due to physical issues and struggles with her form last season. The former US Open champion had pulled out of a previous match against Naomi Osaka earlier this month, but it did not have a significant impact on Great Britain's overall performance in their first two matches.
Sakkari took control of the third set without losing a game, showcasing her dominance over Raducanu. Despite struggling with injuries, including bone bruising in her right foot, Sakkari demonstrated impressive recovery and tactics to win the match convincingly.
Raducanu herself showed resilience by fighting back from a break down in the second set but ultimately faded under pressure in the final two sets. Her defeat serves as a wake-up call for Raducanu ahead of the 2026 season, where she aims to regain her top form and secure a spot at the first Grand Slam tournament.
The loss also marks a significant setback for Great Britain's hopes of success in the United Cup, following their earlier victories over Japan. British number three Fran Jones did manage to secure an impressive win against world number 15 Emma Navarro earlier this week, showcasing the growth and potential within the British tennis team.
Despite Raducanu's disappointment, she expressed optimism about her game ahead of the upcoming season. Speaking with Sky Sports' Laura Robson before the match, Raducanu acknowledged that returning to action would be challenging but was eager to regain her form and confidence on the court.
British number one Emma Raducanu suffered a surprise defeat on her return to competitive tennis at the United Cup in Perth, Australia. The 23-year-old was beaten by Greek player Maria Sakkari in straight sets, losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
Raducanu's exit from the tournament follows a long lay-off due to physical issues and struggles with her form last season. The former US Open champion had pulled out of a previous match against Naomi Osaka earlier this month, but it did not have a significant impact on Great Britain's overall performance in their first two matches.
Sakkari took control of the third set without losing a game, showcasing her dominance over Raducanu. Despite struggling with injuries, including bone bruising in her right foot, Sakkari demonstrated impressive recovery and tactics to win the match convincingly.
Raducanu herself showed resilience by fighting back from a break down in the second set but ultimately faded under pressure in the final two sets. Her defeat serves as a wake-up call for Raducanu ahead of the 2026 season, where she aims to regain her top form and secure a spot at the first Grand Slam tournament.
The loss also marks a significant setback for Great Britain's hopes of success in the United Cup, following their earlier victories over Japan. British number three Fran Jones did manage to secure an impressive win against world number 15 Emma Navarro earlier this week, showcasing the growth and potential within the British tennis team.
Despite Raducanu's disappointment, she expressed optimism about her game ahead of the upcoming season. Speaking with Sky Sports' Laura Robson before the match, Raducanu acknowledged that returning to action would be challenging but was eager to regain her form and confidence on the court.
Emma's back on the courts, but it looks like she's still got some kinks to work out 
Her return to tennis is all about finding her rhythm again, and that defeat to Sakkari isn't a major shocker – I mean, Maria's been on fire lately 
It's like she just took over the court and didn't look back 
That takes guts, girl! And Fran Jones is proving herself to be a total rockstar, taking down world number 15 like it's nobodies business 
The growth and potential within the British tennis team are looking pretty promising.
I'm rooting for her all the way!
Emma Raducanu's back from injury but it looks like she still has a lot of work to do 
I mean, defating Maria Sakkari in straight sets isn't exactly the best way to start your comeback tour 
. And that third set was insane! Sakkari played some masterful tennis and Raducanu just couldn't keep up 
. Fingers crossed Emma can get her game back on track for 2026 
I'm surprised by how much pressure Emma Raducanu is under. I mean, she's only 23 and has already won a major 
. But now she's gotta live up to expectations again, right? 
It's like, can't we just give the girl a break for once? She's been dealing with injuries and form issues all season... that's a lot on anyone's shoulders! 
. I mean, you can't just drop out of a match because your foot hurts (as much as that is annoying), but at least Fran did some damage to those other team members 
. Sakkari played some top-notch tennis, no question 
... it's gonna be tough for Emma to shake off this loss and get back on track 
.
by maria sakkari, what a surprise defeat 
which is no joke 
. anyway, i'm sure she'll be back to her old self soon 
I think this is actually a great wake-up call for her! We've all been there, right? Taking a break from something we love can be tough, but it gives us a chance to recharge and come back stronger. And honestly, she looked pretty sharp in that match before things fell apart. 
️... can't blame her for struggling with injuries & form last season 
. sakkari showed some impressive tactics though 
! raducanu's still young, so maybe this is a wake-up call for her to work hard on her game 
... fran jones did good against emma navarro earlier 
. raducanu was optimistic about her comeback tho 
at Emma Raducanu's defeat! She looked so strong during the US Open last year 
, she played some amazing tennis out there! Raducanu showed some great spirit trying to come back from that break down in the 2nd set, you know? 
️
Fran Jones pulled off an amazing win against Navarro tho! 
... Emma Raducanu is just trying to get back on track, but that Sakkari girl is a beast 
. And what's with the constant breaks in between sets? Back in my day, we just played till we were done, no time-wasting nonsense 
. I'm not saying she won't get back to top form, but I think these new-fangled methods are just a fad 
, and it totally made me think about how tennis players need breaks too 
. anyway, that bone bruising thing is no joke - i had a similar issue with my own foot last year and it was super painful 
Great Britain's got some depth in their team and I'm excited to see how they progress in the tournament 
so yeah, not the best start for british tennis 
but fran jones' win against emma navarro earlier is def somethin to look forward to 