By Ros Satar
- Emma Raducanu v Viktoria Kuzmova
- First Meeting
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Emma Raducanu’s new season started with a win over Linda Fruhvirtova and will meet Viktoria Kuzmova in the second round.
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Emma Raducanu def. Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6 6-4 6-2
Having put up a competitive fight in the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi against Ons Jabeur, Emma Raducanu made a winning start to the season proper, beating Czech Linda Fruhvirtova.
The talented teen snatched the first set, breaking in the final game after the pair went toe-to-toe. The Czech looked to have all the momentum at the start of the second set, breaking once more but Raducanu broke to get things back on serve at the first changeover.
That turned the tide for the Brit, who broke again and kept that advantage to level the match. She put pedal to the metal at the start of the third set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead, but squandered three match points trying to break the Czech for the match, before getting the win on her own serve.
Emma Raducanu v Viktoria Kuzmova | H2H & Match Fundamentals
| Emma Raducanu v Viktoria Kuzmova | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA Auckland | New Zealand |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $3922 |
| Not before 7pm (6am GMT) | Amazon Prime Video <– Sign up for trial |
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2022)
| H2H: | Emma Raducanu (WR 78) | Viktoria Kuzmova (WR 134) |
| Tournament Previous Best | Debut | SF (2019) |
| 1st Serve Return Points Won % | 37.7 | 36.5 |
| Return Points Won % | 46.0 | 42.7 |
| Break Point Conversion % | 50.5 | 48.4 |
| Break Points Saved % | 56.5 | 63.8 |
| Total Points Won % | 51.3 | 51.3 |
Viktoria Kuzmova has been in the Top 50 but had has not really found the heights of her 2019 season that saw her hit her career high. Then again, Raducanu’s struggles on her first full year on the tour was hardly plain sailing either.
Over 2022 on the hard courts, Raducanu has a slight edge in most of the stats, except when it came to saving break points.
Playing Styles & Prediction
Expect to have to pray for the yellow fluffies as Kuzmova likes to play fast and aggressive. She can generate pace of both wings, making her pretty hard to hit through, and together with a strong serve, she will be a handful.
Raducanu has worked hard on her fitness, which will have been tested, having had to go the distance already. She excels on taking the ball on the rise, so anything she can do to take time away from Kuzmova will serve her well.
Prediction: Raducanu in three sets.
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