Emma Raducanu was in total command from start to finish as she booked her place in the US Open third round with a clinical 6-2, 6-1 victory over Janice Tjen. The performance was a perfect illustration of her stated goal to dictate play more, as she took the racket out of her opponent’s hand with a display of overwhelming, first-strike tennis.
Post-match, Raducanu expressed her pleasure with how she “kept dictating the points,” and the statistics back her up. Her serve was the key that unlocked the match, allowing her to be the aggressor in nearly every rally. She stepped into the court with confidence, hitting her spots with power and precision, leaving Tjen constantly reacting rather than initiating.
This was an important win against a player who was not to be underestimated. Janice Tjen, a recent graduate of the US college system, has been on a remarkable journey, rising from unranked to the top 150 in just over a year. Her unique game had already claimed a seeded victim, but she was powerless against a Raducanu who was determined to control the tempo.
With this commanding performance, Raducanu has shown significant progress in the evolution of her game. She is playing with a clear strategy and the weapons to execute it. This ability to dictate will be put to the ultimate test in the third round, where she will face an opponent who will fight much harder to seize control of the rallies.
Raducanu in Command: British Star Dictates Play in Second-Round Rout
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