Stuttgart Open: Jelena Ostapenko beats Emma Raducanu in 1st round

In a meeting of two former Grand Slam champions, the 2017 French Open winner from Latvia broke Raducanu twice in the first set and ran away with the match in the second.

Jelena Ostapenko celebrates after winning her first-round match against Britain’s Emma Raducanu at the Stuttgart Open at the Porsche Arena on April 18, 2023.   | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Jelena Ostapenko swept past Emma Raducanu 6-2, 6-1 at the indoor clay Porsche Grand Prix on Tuesday for the British player’s second consecutive first-round loss.

In a meeting of two former Grand Slam champions, the 2017 French Open winner from Latvia broke Raducanu twice in the first set and ran away with the match in the second as she broke Raducanu to love in consecutive service games.

Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, was in action for the first time since her first-round loss to Bianca Andreescu in Miami. The British player’s last win was in the tournament before, when she reached the fourth round at Indian Wells before losing to Iga Swiatek.

Seventh-seeded Daria Kasatkina was resoundingly beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Paula Badosa to become the first seeded player to be eliminated. Badosa moves on to play qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the next round.

Barbora Krejcikova beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 6-0 and the 2021 French Open champion will next face Aryna Sabalenka — this year’s Australian Open champion.

Beatriz Haddad Maia progressed after Martina Trevisan retired with the Brazilian leading 7-5, 1-1 in their first-round match for a potential meeting with Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the next round.

Anastasia Potapova won 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (4) against Petra Martic and could play Coco Gauff next. Tatjana Maria beat Ylena In-Albon 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (4).