Raducanu recovers from rocky start to win

TENNIS Emma Raducanu recovered from a poor start to see off Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the opening round of the Australian Open.

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Defeat to diminutive Thai debutante Sawangkaew would have been the worst grand slam result of Raducanu’s career but in the end she eased toa comfortable 6-4 6-1 victory under the lights on Margaret Court Arena.

Raducanu, who will next meet Russian Anastasia Potapova, said: “I feel very happy to have got through that match. From the beginning | felt like she was playing really well. I'm really proud of how | fought back in the first set.”

Raducanu once again had a rushed buildup for the tournament because of injury, only returning to the court in late December because of a foot problem that had lingered since the end of last season.