Raducanu wins monster game but loses to Sabalenka

Emma Raducanu won a monster third-set game of 13 deuces and four break points but was unable to get over the line against holder Aryna Sabalenka, who completed a 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) third-round win on Monday at the Cincinnati Masters.

The British No. 1 matched it at times with the world No. 1 who defeated her this summer in the Wimbledon third round.

“I can take lessons from this,” Raducanu said.”I was able to play good tennis for patches of the match and it dropped off in other patches.

“With work and practice I think I can hold my level higher for longer. She’s world number one for a reason. 

“We had a three-hour match and I felt pretty good out there for the most part.”

The ensuing men’s match was hit by one of the increasing power failures which highlight the dangers of the tennis rush to an all-digital future.

Fifth seed Taylor Fritz and Italian Lorenzo Sonego had completed their opening set when a complex just restructured for USD 280 million was hit by a power failure which delayed resumption of pay by an hour.

Electronic linecalling, wifi, TV monitors and scoreboards all went dark, with no choice but to call in the techs and second-guess planning decisions.

The same sort of dramas and glitches also plagued the preceding Toronto Masters which only ended last Thursday after a controversially long two week run.

Fritz was among players sent to the locker room. “I just chilled in the locker room, tried to hydrate and cool off.. there was not much strategy,” he Californian said.

“I was doing fine, I just needed to continue what I’d been doing. I feel I can play better, but there has been no time to really train and get ready.”

The electronic gremlins also struck at least twice at the Toronto Masters, which also suffered with tech glitches which seem tobe becoming part of the modern landscape.

Sabalenka’s win over raducanu was her WTA-leading 49th win of the season.

“I’m happy to get through this difficult match,” the winner said. “I just hope tomorrow is a day off, I need time to recover from such a great battle.”

Sabalenka managed her win with a seventh ace to move into the round of 16 after just under three and a quarter hours.

“It was all about momentum,” Sabalenka said. “I took some risks at the end, went for crazy shots, went to the net.

“A risky game from me helped to put a lot of pressure on her.”