Emma Raducanu of Britain lost to Marketa Vondrousova, a former Wimbledon champion, in straight sets in the opening round of the Abu Dhabi Open.
The 22-year-old Raducanu lost 6-3 6-4, unable to capitalize on her late wildcard entry into the main draw.
She got off to a good start against Czech Vondrousova, taking a 3-1 lead after an early break of service, but she lost five straight games to give up the opening set.
After a six-month hiatus due to shoulder surgery in January, Vondrousova saved four break points early in the second set before breaking for a 5-3 lead and the opportunity to serve out the match.
The 2021 US Open champion’s chances of a comeback were quickly dashed, despite Raducanu’s prompt response to stay in the running by winning the following match.
When Vondrousova, the Wimbledon champion in 2023, secured her third match point, it was over. Raducanu was originally scheduled to compete in qualifying for the first time since her incredible run in New York three and a half years ago, but she was advanced into the main 28-player field in Abu Dhabi this past weekend.
Last month, the 56th-ranked player in the world advanced to the third round of the Australian Open.
After missing the majority of the 2023 season due to surgery on both wrists and her left ankle, she returned to the top 60 in the world last year. Vondrousova is going to play Kazakh fourth seed Yulia Putintseva next.
Home player Ana Bogdan defeated British player Jodie Burrage 6-2 6-3 at the Transylvania Open in Romania. Simona Halep, the two-time Grand Slam winner from Romania, announced her retirement from tennis after losing in the first round of that competition.
At the Dallas Open, Cameron Norrie, the number two seed for the British men, got off to a strong start.
The 29-year-old Norrie, who is rated 63, defeated American seventh seed Alex Michelsen 2-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-1, saving 11 break points. Next up for him will be either Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko or American Reilly Opelka.
Carlos Alcaraz, the third-ranked player in the men’s world, exacted revenge on Botic van de Zandschulp in Rotterdam after the latter’s unexpected defeat at the US Open the previous year.
Alcaraz, 21, of Spain, defeated his Dutch opponent in a decisive third set and advanced with a 7-6 (7-3) 3-6 6-1 win.