Emma Raducanu continued her impressive hard-court form on Monday with a straight-set victory over Elena-Gabriela Ruse at the Canadian Open. Following her semi-final run at the Washington Open last week, the British number one showed no signs of slowing down, easing past Ruse 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the second round in Montreal.
Raducanu, 22, is now on a four-match winning streak on hard courts since her early exit at Wimbledon in July. The win over Ruse sets up a second-round clash with 32nd seed Peyton Stearns of the United States.
“It’s always tough to play a friend,” Raducanu said after the match, referencing her off-court friendship with Ruse. “But I’m happy with how I put that aside and focused on my game. It’s also great to back up a good week last week in DC.”
The match had a tense start as Raducanu faced five break points in her opening service game but showed great resilience to hold. She then took control, winning five consecutive games to claim the first set in dominant fashion.
In the second set, Raducanu traded breaks with Ruse before sealing the win with a crucial break to lead 5-4. She then served out the match confidently, securing a well-earned victory.
Raducanu’s win also extended her strong post-Wimbledon form, with four victories in her last five matches on hard courts. Her success in Montreal sets her up for a potentially tough third-round encounter against Amanda Anisimova, the fifth seed and 2025 Wimbledon finalist, should she progress past Stearns.
Meanwhile, fellow Briton Katie Boulter had a much tougher time. The 28-year-old was defeated 6-1, 7-5 by Mexico’s Renata Zarazua in the opening round. Boulter narrowly avoided a bagel in the first set, saving two set points to hold serve at 5-1, but Zarazua quickly closed out the opener. Boulter showed more resistance in the second set but was unable to regain control, crashing out of the tournament.
As Raducanu eyes the US Open, which begins on 24 August, her confidence is building at just the right time. Having made history by winning the US Open in 2021, the Briton will hope to replicate that success in New York.