Raducanu crashes out, clinical Kalinskaya stuns Ostapenko as Bencic advances at Dubai Open

Emma Raducanu suffered a disappointing exit from the Dubai Tennis Championships on Monday, falling 1-6, 7-5, 2-6 to lucky loser Antonia Ruzic on Monday.

The British No. 1 endured a difficult start, dropping the opening set 6-1 in just 30 minutes before calling the doctor and receiving treatment.

Despite the clear discomfort, Raducanu pressed on and gradually settled into the contest.

The second set became a tense exchange of momentum, with Raducanu creating – and missing – multiple early break opportunities. The World No.67 from Croatia saved five break points in a marathon second game and held firm again in the fourth.

After falling behind 4-3, Raducanu summoned an impressive response. Serving to stay in the set at 4-5, she steadied herself, broke Ruzic for the first time, and surged through four straight games to steal the second set 7-5 and force a decider.

Carrying that momentum, Raducanu opened the third set with another break, extending her run to six consecutive games. But Ruzic refused to fade. She immediately broke back, held serve, and then began to outmuscle Raducanu in the longer rallies. The Croatian reeled off game after game with growing confidence, breaking twice more and closing out the match 6-2.

Ruzic, ranked World No. 67, earned her place in the main draw only hours before the match after Elisabetta Cocciaretto withdrew with a thigh injury. Her victory over the former US Open champion marks the biggest win of her career.

For Raducanu, the defeat extends a difficult run, coming after her retirement in Doha and her loss to Sorana Cirstea in the final of the Transylvania Open held in Romania in the first week of February. Anna Kalinskaya stunned 2022 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships champion Jeļena Ostapenko 2-6, 6-1, 6-4.

After a shaky first set, Kalinskaya dominated the second set. The decider stayed tight, but the Russian held firm in the closing games, securing a place in the second round.

Belinda Bencic, the 2019 champion and ninth seed, made a triumphant return, overcoming a slow start to defeat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in a gritty three-set first-round encounter.

The World No. 48 from Spain came out firing and dictated the early rallies, using her aggression and court speed to seize the opening set 6-2. But the World No. 13 from Switzerland quickly recalibrated. Bencic sharpened her groundstrokes, pushing Bouzas Maneiro off the baseline and taking full control of the second set. The turnaround was swift and decisive as she raced through it 6-1, restoring both rhythm and confidence.

The deciding set showcased Bencic’s trademark composure under pressure. Although Bouzas Maneiro attempted to mount a response, the momentum had fully shifted. Bencic earned an early break, held firm on serve, and closed out the match with authority to complete her comeback victory.

No. 12 seed Clara Tauson opened the campaign with a straight-sets victory, improving her head-to-head record to 3-1 against Sofia Kenin. Tauson showed composure after Kenin served for the opening set at 6-5, turning the momentum around and cruising through the rest of the match.

Rising American star Iva Jovic, fresh off a career-best ranking of No. 20 following her run to the Australian Open quarter-finals, returned to court after skipping Doha and defeated world No. 91 Kamilla Rakhimova 6-1, 1-6, 6-1.

Jovic dominated the opening set before a dip in intensity cost her the second. But in the decider, she reset brilliantly, reeling off five consecutive games to secure her maiden win in Dubai.

No. 14th seed Emma Navarro enjoyed a strong start of her own, earning a composed 6-4, 7-5 victory over qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Navarro edged the first set after breaking at 5-4, and although Ruse struck early in the second, the American quickly reclaimed control with breaks in the fourth and final games to wrap up the match in straight sets.

Indonesia’s Janice Tjen advanced to the next round with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Canadian star Leylah Fernandez. Tjen edged a tightly contested opening set, holding her nerve through a tense tie-break. In the second set, the Indonesian raised her level in the crucial moments. A late break proved decisive, allowing her to close out the match in straight sets.