Raducanu holds off Joint to mark first win in Rome

Emma Raducanu continued her clay-court education in the notoriously slow, heavy nighttime conditions at the Italian Open as she held off a spirited comeback from the Australian 19-year-old Maya Joint and quelled her own nerves to reach the second round with a gritty 7-5, 6-7 (1), 6-3 win.

- Tumaini Carayol

The victory is Raducanu's first in Rome in her second appearance at the event. In 2022, the only other time she had competed in this tournament, Raducanu was forced to retire in the first round against Bianca Andreescu. She will next tackle a familiar face in Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 21st seed, an opponent she has already battled twice this year.

Before the tournament, Raducanu had expressed her intention to play more offensive tennis on clay rather than falling into a passive mindset. Even though the playing conditions were further slowed in the cool evening air, she stepped on to the court determined to dictate terms from inside the baseline. Despite trailing by a break early in the opening set, Raducanu found her best level in the decisive moments.

With the first set secured, Raducanu relaxed and produced her best stretch of tennis of the match to establish a 5-3 lead. A game away from victory, however, she played a tentative service game at 5-4 and was punished by her teenage opponent. Although Raducanu held on for a tie-break, she could not halt the momentum as Joint rolled through to force a final set.