At the end of a turbulent night in Rome, where another momentum shift was always around the corner, Emma Raducanu held off a spirited teenage opponent and quelled her own nerves to reach the second round of the Italian Open with a gritty 7-5, 6-7 (1), 6-3 win over Australia’s Maya Joint.
The victory marks Raducanu’s first win in Rome in just her second appearance at the event. In 2022, she was forced to retire in the first round against Bianca Andreescu. She will next face a familiar opponent in Ekaterina Alexandrova, the 21st seed, who she has already battled twice this year, winning once, in Australia.
