\n<\/p>\n
Raducanu said on Friday that she was still “finding her feet” on the clay but her movement, particularly sliding behind the baseline, improved as the match progressed.<\/p>\n
She often spoke to Mark Petchey and Jane O’Donoghue in her coaching box. Petchey offered vocal encouragement throughout the match. <\/p>\n
She and Kudermetova exchanged early breaks before a sterling return winner from Raducanu allowed her to serve for the set at 5-4.<\/p>\n
However, the Briton’s first serve percentage dropped and she handed back the break on a double fault, before Kudermetova won three games in a row to take the first set.<\/p>\n
However, the Russian crumbled from there on.<\/p>\n
An unfortunate bounce off a Raducanu shot wrong-footed Kudermetova in her first service game – and visibly annoyed, Kudermetova lost a 40-15 lead to suffer a break of serve, with her forehand in particular losing all timing.<\/p>\n
Raducanu moved better, sliding in and out of the corners, and rushed her way through five games in a row before Kudermetova took a medical timeout.<\/p>\n
The Briton was smart during that timeout, staying on the court and hitting balls rather than sitting down and risk losing rhythm.<\/p>\n
When Kudermetova returned, Raducanu picked up where she left off, taking the set at the third opportunity through another Kudermetova error.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n