Emma Raducanu’s latest victory suggests that she is becoming that rare animal: an Englishwoman who enjoys the challenge of clay.
And after Katie Boulter landed a 125-point “super-Challenger” title in Paris on Sunday, there is growing reason to feel optimistic about British prospects at the French Open in a week’s time.
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This period of the tennis calendar has long been a struggle for the British contingent, especially on the WTA side, where Johanna Konta is the only player to have reached the second week of Roland Garros in the 21st century.
But the very fact that Raducanu chose to take a wild card into Strasbourg this week, in the search for extra matches before the French Open, offers a sign that she is relishing the cerebral, chess-like rallies which are such a feature of the European clay-court swing.
Monday’s match against Daria Kasatkina, the sixth seed in Strasbourg, presented the perfect example. As one of the smaller and lighter women on the tour, Kasatkina relies on subtlety and guile rather than power.
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Her awkward, defensive game had successfully outwitted Raducanu in their three previous meetings, even if Raducanu was forced to retire hurt in the most recent encounter in Seoul last year.
But this time, Raducanu came out and dominated from the start, using her new and improved forehand to impose herself on her less aggressive opponent.
Kasatkina’s serve has always been a liability, even if she has managed to defend it well enough to reach a high point of No 8 in the world. On this occasion, however, she was unable to handle the heat of Raducanu’s returns, which regularly flashed past her for winners.
In eight service games, Kasatkina failed to muster a single hold. She did go on a run of three breaks of her own against the Raducanu serve, which kept things a little edgy in the second set. Otherwise, she was routined – to use the tennis jargon – by a woman who looks like she is loving life at the moment.
“I’m proud of my performance,” Raducanu said after her 6-1, 6-3 win. “How I came out and I was really aggressive, and how I also maintained my focus in the second set when it was getting close, and Daria played some great points when I was trying to serve the match out.”
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Asked whether she would rank this among her best clay-court performances to date, Raducanu replied: “I think I’ve been building towards this. It’s a great feeling. I think I had three great matches in Rome and in the fourth I played an opponent [Coco Gauff] who was better than me on the day.
“As I spend more time on clay I am getting to like it more and more,” added Raducanu, who will play Danielle Collins, of the United States, in Wednesday’s round-of-16 match. “I’d say that I am building my relationship with the surface.”
06:42 PM BST
‘Liking clay more and more’
06:32 PM BST
Game, set and match: Raducanu 6-1, 6-3
Positive start from Raducanu is rubber-stamped with a backhand winner down the line.
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The Briton follows up with another clean winner, this time on the backhand wing, to go 30-0 ahead.
Raducanu then pushes a backhand out as Kasatkina gets on the board before a good first serve brings up two match points for the Briton.
Kasatkina saves the first after putting away a short forehand and the second as Raducanu nets a backhand slice. Deuce. Raducanu reaches her third match point but Kasatkina saves it with a forehand winner. Back to deuce.
Raducanu then double faults before getting back to deuce. Nice one-two brings Raducanu to match point No 4… and the Briton gets it done!
Brilliant victory for the British No 2!
06:21 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 5-3 Kasatkina*
Raducanu lets rip on a forehand return to go ahead 0-15 before Kasatkina gets to 15-15.
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Another forehand-return winner sees Raducanu get to 15-30 and then 15-40 as the sixth seed goes long with another error on the forehand wing.
The Briton breaks again and is just a game away from the second round!
06:18 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-1, 4-3 Kasatkina
Kasatkina wins the opening point before Raducanu levels up at 15-15 after sticking with the sixth seed in a drawn out rally.
Kasatkina then gets to 15-30 after a lovely angled forehand winner. The Briton levels up at 30-30 after Kasatkina nets from the baseline.
Raducanu then gets to game point as Kasatkina nets a backhand slice. A backhand down the line from Kasatkina brings the game to deuce and then advantage, Kasatkina, as Raducanu forces a forehand long.
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Another break, as Raducanu sprays a backhand out. Will Kasatkina hold and level things up in this second set?
06:11 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 4-2 Kasatkina*
Raducanu goes 0-15 ahead after drawing an error from the Kasatkina racket.
A fun exchange at the front of the court sees Kasatkina finish the point with a backhand-volley winner to go 15-15.
The Briton then gets to 15-30 after a gutsy point and then 15-40 after another error from Kasatkina.
The first break point is saved with a backhand winner but Raducanu takes it on the second after finding a forehand-cross that left Kasatkina scrambling.
06:05 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-1, 3-2 Kasatkina
Kasatkina gets on the board first after a promising exchange for the sixth seed.
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Carrying on the momentum from that opening point, Kasatkina gets to 0-30 before Raducanu switches things up with a nice drop shot that catches out her opponent.
The Briton then nets a forehand to give Kasatkina two break points. And Kasatkina takes it on the first.
Back on serve in this second set.
06:01 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 3-1 Kasatkina*
Kasatkina opens with a double fault before levelling things up after extended rally. Raducanu then sneaks 15-30 ahead thanks to a clean backhand winner down the line.
Kasatkina gets to 30-30 then throws in another double fault to hand Raducanu a break point and the Briton breaks at the first time of asking.
05:56 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-1, 2-1 Kasatkina
Raducanu starts with a double fault to fall 0-15 behind before ripping a forehand-cross for a clean winner to go 15-15.
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The Briton then goes long with a forehand to fall 15-30 behind. Kasatkina gets to 15-40 as Raducanu nets from the baseline.
And the sixth seed breaks back!
05:52 PM BST
Raducanu 6-1, 2-0 Kasatkina*
Kasatkina misses a forehand down the line to fall 0-15 behind. Raducanu then throws in a forehand error of her own which brings the score to 15-15.
The Briton gets to 15-30 as Kasatkina goes long with another forehand from the baseline.
Some good scrambling sees Raducanu get to 15-40. Kasatkina snuffs out the first break point but is unable to save the second as Raducanu hits a stunning return winner.
05:48 PM BST
Second set: Raducanu* 6-1, 1-0 Kasatkina
Raducanu, serving with new balls, goes 15-0 after a Kasatkina second-serve return sails wide.
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The Briton then gets to 30-0 after some clinical, attacking tennis.
A good first serve is then netted by Kasatkina to give Raducanu three game points. Raducanu then double faults to go 40-15 and the Briton holds after coming out on top of an extended baseline exchange.
05:41 PM BST
Raducanu wins the opening set 6-1
Kasatkina starts the game with a double fault to fall 0-15 behind.
Raducanu then gets to 0-30 after a return winner. A good body serve gets Kasatkina on the board before Raducanu goes long with a return – 30-30.
Kasatkina goes long with a forehand to bring up set point for Raducanu and the Briton takes it!
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Superb opening set from Raducanu who wins the first set of her career against Kasatkina.
05:37 PM BST
Raducanu* 5-1 Kasatkina
Raducanu falls 0-15 behind before getting it back to 15-15.
Kasatkina lets rip on a forehand that fell short to go 15-30 but Raducanu gets it to 30-30 after a lovely angled forehand of her own.
Another extended rally sees Raducanu sneak 40-30 ahead as Kasatkina’s backhand sails wide and the Briton holds to go 5-1 ahead.
05:32 PM BST
Raducanu 4-1 Kasatkina*
An agressive return sets up the point nicely for Raducanu who goes 0-30 ahead as Kasatkina nets a forehand volley.
Kasatkina gets on the board with a forehand winner down the line before throwing down her third double fault to give Raducanu two break points.
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First one is saved by Kasatkina who finds a strong first serve, and so is the second after Raducanu sprays a forehand out.
Third break point for Raducanu, as Kasatkina goes wide from the baseline and this time Raducanu does get the break after Kasatkina goes long with a forehand.
Great start from the Briton!
05:27 PM BST
Raducanu* 3-1 Kasatkina
A Kasatkina forehand lands in the tramlines as Raducnau goes 15-0 ahead.
A well-executed backhand drop shot then gets the Briton to 30-0.
Another good first delivery sees Raducanu reach 40-0 and the Briton backs up the break with a clean love-hold.
05:23 PM BST
Raducanu 2-1 Kasatkina*
Kasatkina blinks first and goes long from the baseline to fall 0-15 behind. The sixth seed then gets to 15-15 after a good body serve jams up Raducanu.
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Raducanu gets to 15-30 as Kasatkina nets a forehand and then 15-40 after another error from the sixth seed’s racket. Raducanu breaks again after Kasatkina double faults.
Third-straight break of the match.
05:20 PM BST
Raducanu* 1-1 Kasatkina
Raducanu comes out on top after an extended rally to go 15-0. Kasatkina arrows a backhand winner down the line to go 15-15.
Good second serve to the body gets Raducanu to 30-15 before a failed attempted drop shot gets Kasatkina back on level terms, 30-30.
Raducanu nets a backhand to give Kasatkina a break point. The sixth seed goes long with a return, back to deuce. A sweet forehand down the line brings up a second break point for Kasatkina and this time she does take it as Raducanu goes long with a forehand.
05:15 PM BST
First set: Emma Raducanu 1-0 Daria Kasatkina* (*denotes server)
Kasatkina races to a 30-0 lead after two good first serves set up the points nicely.
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Raducanu then gets on the board thanks to a Kasatkina double fault. The sixth seed then edges 40-30 ahead before Raducanu gets to deuce after Kasatkina sprays a forehand wide.
Raducanu, playing aggressive, wins the next two points and breaks at the first time of asking.
05:06 PM BST
Coin toss
Raducanu won the toss and has elected to receive.
05:05 PM BST
Players are on court
Emma Raducanu makes her way to court first followed by sixth seed Daria Kasatkina.
04:53 PM BST
Collins sees off Kenin
Danielle Collins has beaten compatriot Sofia Kenin 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.
The American will play the winner between Raducanu and Kasatkina which is up next.
04:47 PM BST
Fearnley advances in Geneva
On the ATP Tour, Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley is through to the second round in Geneva after a good 6-4, 6-1 victory over Dusan Lajovic.
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Fearnley will play Australian fifth seed Alexei Popyrin in the next round.
04:43 PM BST
Boulter wins first clay-court title
After her early exit in Rome, British No 1 Katie Boulter dropped down a level and played the WTA 125 event in Paris.
The Briton, who was seeded second, ended up winning the title, securing her first crown on the dirt.
In the final Boulter had to come back from a set down against home favourite Chloe Paquet, winning 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.
04:37 PM BST
First meeting on clay
Kasatkina leads the head-to-head 3-0 and Raducanu has never won a set against the Russian-born Australian.
Their first meeting was in 2022 on the indoor hard courts in Ostrava. Kasatkina won 7-5, 6-4.
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The pair met twice last year, first in the Eastbourne quarter-finals where Raducanu fell to a 6-2, 6-2 defeat and then in Seoul where the Briton was forced to retire after losing the first set 6-1.
This is their first meeting on clay.
Russia’s Daria Kasatkina (L) shakes hands with Britain’s Emma Raducanu after winning their women’s singles quarter final tennis match at the Rothesay Eastbourne International
04:00 PM BST
Tough assignment for Raducanu
Emma Raducanu is taking part in her final tournament before the French Open as she takes on Daria Kasatskina at the Internationaux de Strasbourg.
The British No 2 won three successive matches on clay for the first time in her career at the Italian Open last week, before succumbing to world No 3 Coco Gauff in the last-16 stage.
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Raducanu had not been expected to appear in another tournament before Roland Garros but has decided to accept a wild card to continue her acclimatisation to the surface with which she is least comfortable.
Kasatskina represents a tough assignment for the 22-year-old from Bromley. The Russian-born Australian is ranked No 17 in the world, 22 places higher than Raducanu, and has won all three meetings against the Briton to date.
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