Raducanu Falls Agonisingly Short in Seoul as Krejcikova Stages Epic Comeback
SME News UK. Emma Raducanu’s Korea Open campaign ended in heartbreak after the Briton squandered three match points in a gruelling second-round defeat to Barbora Krejcikova in Seoul.The 2021 US Open champion looked on course for a statement victory when she led 6-4, 4-1, but Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam winner, showcased her trademark resilience to rally for a 4-6, 7-6(10), 6-1 triumph in a contest lasting nearly three hours and finishing at 11:30 p.m. local time.Raducanu drew first blood by breaking back immediately after an early setback in the opening set, which she sealed in 54 minutes. The Brit then appeared firmly in control, racing to a double break and holding to love for 4-1 in the second set.But Krejcikova mounted a stunning fightback, saving three match points—including two in a tense tie-break—before edging it 12-10 to level the match. With momentum shifted, Raducanu struggled to recover in the decider, while the Czech powered through with ruthless efficiency, sealing victory on her first match point.“It was very tough—I don’t really know how I turned it around,” Krejcikova admitted. “The crowd really gave me energy, so thank you to everyone who stayed late to support.”The victory sets up a blockbuster quarter-final for the world No. 18, who will now face top seed and world No. 1 Iga Swiatek.For Raducanu, the defeat represents a painful missed opportunity. The 21-year-old had opted to skip the Billie Jean King Cup finals to prioritise her ranking climb, but was unable to capitalise despite her promising start in Seoul.Elsewhere, Raducanu’s US Open doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz will headline Team Europe in the Laver Cup, which begins Friday in San Francisco (Sept 19–21). The Spaniard is joined by Holger Rune, Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev, Jakub Mensik and Flavio Cobolli, under the captaincy of Yannick Noah, with Tim Henman as vice-captain.Team World, meanwhile, features world No. 4 Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, Francisco Cerundolo, Alex Michelsen, Joao Fonseca and Reilly Opelka, with Andre Agassi serving as captain.Fans can follow all the action.
