Raducanu Out In Round 1

Ex-US champ loses to Spain's Bucsa, unsure of what's next after parting ways with coach

- Melvyn Teoh

In her first outing since splitting with her coach Nick Cavaday, former US Open winner Emma Raducanu crashed out in the first round of the Singapore Tennis Open after a 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 defeat by 101st-ranked Cristina Bucsa of Spain at the Kallang Tennis Hub on Jan 27.

Seventh seed Raducanu, who had climbed to world No. 56 after reaching the Australian Open's round of 32, was hoping to build on her positive start to the year.

But Bucsa, a Paris Olympics doubles bronze medallist, earned a comeback victory in three hours and three minutes.

She will face the 132nd-ranked Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the round of 16 of the US$275,000 (S$370,000) WTA 250 event on Jan 29, following the Thai's 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) win over fellow qualifier, China's world No. 116 Wei Sijia.

Raducanu arrived in Singapore with her fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura and mum Renee Zhai following 2023's first Major, when the 22-year-old Briton was beaten by world No. 2 Iga Swiatek on Jan 18.

Cavaday had ended their partnership after the tournament because of health issues, leaving Raducanu in search of her seventh full-time coach of her professional career.

After her defeat, Raducanu said: "I have to take lots of positives this week, coming here on my own, with Yutaka and my mum.