Emma Raducanu’s poor run of form continued on Tuesday as she was comprehensively beaten in straight sets by Jelena Ostapenko in the first round of the Stuttgart Open. The British No. 1 had no answers to Ostapenko’s powerful and aggressive game, as the Latvian won 6-2 6-1 in less than an hour.
Raducanu has now suffered five defeats in 2024, including a loss to Bianca Andreescu at the Miami Open in March. The 20-year-old will be hoping to turn her fortunes around soon as she looks to regain the form that saw her win the US Open in 2021.
Despite starting well and holding serve comfortably in the opening game, Raducanu was unable to match Ostapenko’s level of play.
The Latvian’s power and depth off the forehand proved too much for the young Brit, as Ostapenko broke her opponent’s serve in the third game and never looked back. Raducanu struggled to find any rhythm throughout the match, with Ostapenko’s relentless aggression and attacking style leaving her with little time to settle into the contest.
Ostapenko’s victory sets up a second-round meeting with third seed Ons Jabeur, and the Latvian will be full of confidence after her dominant display against Raducanu.
The 24-year-old is a former French Open champion and has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous players on tour when she is playing well. If Ostapenko can maintain this level of play, she will be a tough opponent for anyone in the tournament.
