By Ros Satar
- Emma Raducanu v Linda Fruhvirtova
- First Meeting
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – Emma Raducanu gets ready to put an up and down 2022 behind her but has a tricky opener against talented Czech Linda Fruhvirtova.
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Emma Raducanu v Linda Fruhvirtova | H2H & Match Fundamentals
New year, new coach for British No. 1 Emma Raducanu after a turbulent first full year on the tennis merry-go-round. Now on her fifth coach in 18 months, there is a real sense that the Brit needs a bit of stability.
Sebastian Sachs was in Abu Dhabi with Raducanu when she played in a competitive exhibition match against Ons Jabeur. Raducanu has struggled for consistency after frustrating bouts of injury, and has engaged Sachs, who helped Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic to Olympic gold in 2021.
She has also added Jez Green (Andy Murray’s former physical trainer) to her team.
| Emma Raducanu v Linda Fruhvirtova | H2H: First Meeting |
| WTA Auckland | New Zealand |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $2804 |
| Second on Stadium, from 2am (1am GMT) | Amazon Prime Video <– Sign up for trial |
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (2022)
| H2H: | Emma Raducanu (WR 78) | Linda Fruhvirtova (WR 79) |
| Tournament Previous Best | Debut | Debut |
| 1st Serve Return Points Won % | 37.7 | 40.1 |
| Return Points Won % | 46.0 | 46.7 |
| Break Point Conversion % | 50.5 | 48.3 |
| Break Points Saved % | 56.5 | 55.8 |
| Total Points Won % | 51.3 | 51.8 |
There is just one place separating them in the rankings but looking back over their performances over 2022, Linda Fruhvirtova is maybe a little sharper on retuned but after then these is little to separate them.
Raducanu might have been a little more clutch in converting her break point chances overall and getting out of trouble when she has been put under pressure.
Playing Styles & Prediction
Raducanu may have had her famous run to a maiden Slam and first title on the tour but the elder of the two talented Fruhvirtova sisters became the youngest WTA titlist in 2022, winning in Chennai at the back end of the season. She became the youngest player at 17 in the Top 100 and is going to hunting the former US Open champion with no fear.
In her New York run Raducanu displayed the type of grit and problem solving that made her so perplexing to the more established players over the net, but there is nothing like that here with the pair so close in the rankings and in stats.
The Czech has already proved herself to be blessed with an all-court game and will expect to go toe-to-toe with anything that Raducanu wants to throw at her from the baseline. Moreover, she has already demonstrated that she can come into the net and has good hands. She is already demonstrating solid court skills at such a young age.
Prediction: Raducanu in three sets.
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