Emma Raducanu’s first-round match at the Korea Open has been cancelled for the day due to rain. The British No. 1 was due to take on Jaqueline Cristian in the second match on Tuesday, but play was suspended and ultimately postponed until Wednesday.
If Raducanu beats the Romanian when they meet tomorrow, she already knows who she will meet in the second round. Two-time Major winner Barbora Krejcikova managed to win her opening match before the rain came on Tuesday, and she awaits the winner of Raducanu vs Cristian.
The rain wreaked havoc in Seoul on day two of the tournament, as Krejcikova’s match against qualifier Tatiana Prozorova started several hours late due to the weather.
The 2024 Wimbledon champion needed just an hour and 16 minutes to beat Prozorova 6-1 6-2, and rain started to fall again during Krejcikova’s on-court interview.
Raducanu and Cristian were due to take to the court as soon as Krejcikova had finished, but the start of their match continued to be postponed until organisers announced that all play would be cancelled for the day.
On the Grandstand court, Diana Shnaider and Caty McNally were in the middle of their opening match when it was rained off. They had just split sets, with the score at 2-6 6-2 when they were forced to leave the court.
The rest of the day’s matches have been moved to Wednesday. Raducanu, the No. 8 seed this week, is due second on Centre Court, not before 6am UK time. Her match will follow Anastasia Zakharova vs Sorana Cirstea.
No. 6 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia is due to face Korean wildcard Dayeon Back in the third match on Centre, before Aussie teenager Maya Joint meets seventh seed Sofia Kenin. Clara Tauson will also take on Eva Lys.
There will be doubles action on Grandstand, while Shnaider and McNally will return to finish their match, while Suzan Lamens meets Queen’s champion Tatjana Maria.
If Raducanu beats Cristian in their first meeting, she is expected to face former world No. 2 Krejcikova in the second round on Thursday. The winner of that match will likely take on top seed and six-time Major winner Iga Swiatek in Friday’s quarter-finals.
Raducanu has always thrived at the Korea Open. She reached the semi-finals on her first appearance in 2022 and made it to the quarters last year before retiring mid-match when she picked up a foot injury.
The world No. 33 has not played a match since she was thrashed by Elena Rybakina in the third round of the US Open. Raducanu was meant to take part in Britain’s BJK Cup Finals ties this week but pulled out of the team and took a wildcard into Seoul instead.
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