Emma Raducanu exits Dubai in shock first-round defeat to lucky loser Antonia Ruzic
British number one Emma Raducanu was knocked out in the opening round of the Dubai Tennis Championships after a dramatic three-set loss to Croatia's Antonia Ruzic. Raducanu, seeded and favoured, recovered from a second-set deficit only to lose momentum in the decider as Ruzic reeled off six consecutive games to claim a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 victory.
Match recap: momentum swings and a late surge
The match began under unusual circumstances when Raducanu's scheduled opponent withdrew late with a thigh problem, handing a place in the draw to Ruzic as one of several lucky losers from qualifying. Ruzic capitalised early, racing through the opening set in 30 minutes after breaking Raducanu twice to take a 6-1 lead.
Raducanu, who sought medical attention during the contest, battled back in the second set. Trailing 5-3, she produced a determined fightback that included two breaks to win six games in a row and level the match 1-1 at 7-5. That stretch suggested the tide had turned and Raducanu carried confidence into the start of the decider, jumping out to a 2-0 lead.
Ruzic, world No. 67, then flipped the script. The Croatian seized control with aggressive baseline play and steady serving, erasing the deficit by winning the next six games to close out the third set 6-2. The match finished after roughly two hours and 20 minutes, with Ruzic's late run the decisive factor.
Implications for Raducanu and tournament outlook
The defeat leaves Raducanu with more questions about consistency and fitness. She had withdrawn from her opening match at a recent tournament the week prior, an interruption that raised concern about her form and durability heading into this event. On court today she showed resilience in the second set but could not sustain it against an opponent who found a high gear when it mattered most.
For Raducanu, the loss is a setback as she seeks to string together deeper runs to regain the momentum that followed her major success earlier in her career. The early exit also impacts her ranking points and preparation for the spring hard-court swing; she will now need to regroup and address the issues that halted her progress in Dubai.
Ruzic seizes rare opportunity
Antonia Ruzic made the most of an unexpected main-draw entry. Having lost in the final round of qualifying, she was one of seven players elevated into the tournament when last-minute withdrawals reshuffled the field. Ruzic's performance under pressure — particularly the six-game streak that closed out the match — highlights the depth and volatility present on the tour, where momentum can flip rapidly.
The win will provide Ruzic with a valuable confidence boost and ranking rewards, and it underlines how openings created by withdrawals can launch significant results. Her victory is one of the more notable upsets of this opening round and will be a talking point as the tournament progresses.
With the early drama in the women's draw, attention now turns to how other seeds will navigate their matches and whether this tournament will produce more surprises. For Raducanu, the immediate focus will be recovery and assessment ahead of her next events as she aims to rebuild consistency and form.
