British No. 1 Emma Raducanu Knocked Out in First Round of Dubai Tennis Championships

Dubai. British number one tennis player Emma Raducanu has been eliminated in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships. Raducanu's journey ended early after she was defeated by Croatia's Antonia Ružić.

Ružić, ranked 67th in the world rankings, secured her place in the next round by defeating Raducanu in sets of 6-1, 5-7, and 6-2. Ružić had gained entry into the main draw as a 'lucky loser' after several players withdrew from the tournament due to injury and illness.

Raducanu, who was under pressure from the start of the match, lost the first set in just 30 minutes. In the second set, despite trailing 5-3, she made an excellent comeback to take the match to a deciding set. Although she took a 2-0 lead in the third set by winning six consecutive games, Raducanu could not maintain it. Ružić then won the match in her favor by winning the next six consecutive games.

Raducanu, ranked 25th in the world, also took a medical timeout during the match. This loss has become another major setback for Raducanu, who was forced to retire mid-match due to injury last week at the Qatar Open.