Raducanu blistered, beaten but still proud

MELBOURNE • This time, teenage sensation Emma Raducanu did not have all the solutions to a Grand Slam puzzle as a combination of a blistered racket hand and an inspired Danka Kovinic derailed her Australian Open challenge in the second round yesterday.

The 19-year-old Briton, who rocketed to fame by winning last year's US Open as a qualifier, gritted her teeth through the discomfort to stay in contention in a tense clash but lost 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

She said afterwards "some people in my team maybe didn't want me to play" because of the blister but she soldiered on.

"I fought so hard just to come out to Australia and play here, so I just left it all out there on the court," she added.

"I was just proud of how I kept fighting even in those situations where I was really struggling. I can't really do much, but I just kept hanging in there."

The 17th seed, who beat former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in the first round, needed treatment after the fifth game of the first set.

With her hand taped, the world No. 18 was unable to deliver her usual baseline power and resorted to slicing virtually every forehand.

Montenegro's 98th-ranked Kovinic, 27, also showed great composure to dominate the deciding set and move into the third round of a Slam for the first time.

Raducanu was still smiling as she congratulated her opponent at the net and while the loss will sting like her blistered hand for a while, she will look back with few regrets and will regard the match as part of her steep learning curve.

Kovinic will now play Romania's 14th seed Simona Halep, who beat Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2, 6-0, for a place in the fourth round.

"I really enjoyed it out there. It was a nice experience to play Emma and make it to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time," she said. "Emma is such a talent and I'm just glad I showed I can play at her level."

It was a day of upsets in the women's draw, as third seed Garbine Muguruza and sixth seed Anett Kontaveit both suffered straight-set losses.

WTA Finals winner Muguruza struggled with her serve against 61st-ranked French veteran Alize Cornet, losing 6-3, 6-3.

Estonian Kontaveit, seen by many as a serious title contender after a breakout year, committed 27 unforced errors as she was stunned 6-2, 6-4 by fast-rising Danish teenager Clara Tauson.

But second seed Aryna Sabalenka came from a set down for the second straight match to beat China's world No. 100 Wang Xinyu. The Belarusian has struggled with her serve since arriving in Australia and totted up 19 double faults before managing to drag herself through 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS