Two former Grand Slam champions commence a challenging route to Abu Dhabi Open glory on Monday, as 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu tackles 2023 Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova.
The former British number one touches down in Saudi Arabia after an enthralling opening defeat in Singapore, while Vondrousova pulled out of the Australian Open owing to an injury.
Match preview
© Imago
Another year, another change in the Raducanu coaching setup; the 22-year-old is now adjusting to life without Nick Cavaday in her camp, but unlike previous splits with former trainers, the latest disassociation was initiated by Cavaday as he prioritises his health.
The pair parted ways after Raducanu achieved an Australian Open best during the recently-concluded Melbourne tournament; she had been knocked out in the second round in each of her first three tournaments, but sinking Ekaterina Alexandrova and Amanda Anisimova propelled her into the last 32 for the first time.
There, Raducanu was slaughtered by a merciless Iga Swiatek, and an equally excruciating defeat reared its ugly head for the former US Open champion in Singapore, even if there was no repeat of the 6-0 6-1 demolition inflicted on her by the Pole.
Instead, Spain's Cristina Bucsa produced a magnificent fightback to eliminate Raducanu 5-7 7-5 7-5 from the first round, as the world number 56 paid the price for committing seven double faults and only winning a mere 24% of points behind her second serve.
Granted an Abu Dhabi wild card for the second year running, Raducanu bids to banish her Singapore misery and improve on her short-lived run to round two in this tournament during the 2024 season, where a 6-4 6-1 win over Marie Bouzkova preceded an identical defeat to Ons Jabeur.
© Imago
Victory for either woman on Monday will see them rewarded with even more daunting Abu Dhabi matches; fourth seed Yulia Putintseva awaits the winner next up, while reigning champion Elena Rybakina could meet either Raducanu or Vondrousova in the semi-finals.
Even if one of Monday's competitors can upset Rybakina in the final four, they may have to outwit Daria Kasatkina or Australian Open semi-finalist Paula Badosa in the championship match, an especially unnerving prospect for Vondrousova given her recent lack of match practice.
The former Wimbledon winner was forced to skip the Australian Open owing to an injury she suffered at the Adelaide International, where she took the first set against rising Russian star Diana Shnaider in the last 16 before having to call it quits.
While Vondrousova's fitness may be of slight concern ahead of Monday's contest, her nous is not; in the 25-year-old's most recent completed match, she trumped Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a three-set Adelaide battle, where raw power met raw power.
A staggering 106 winners were shared between the pair - 51 for Vondrousova - and the Czech star concluded the contest with a career-high 22 aces; in all of her previous matches on the WTA Tour, she never managed more than nine.
Head To Head
Billie Jean King Cup (2022) - Qualifying Round 1: Vondrousova wins 6-1 6-1
Wimbledon (2021) - Second Round: Raducanu wins 6-2 6-4
A third top-level meeting awaits between Raducanu and Vondrousova, who have both got one over the other in their previous two head-to-heads, one on clay and one on grass.
The duo's inaugural battle was fought at Wimbledon 2021, where Raducanu conquered the future SW19 queen in straight sets in the second round during her breakthrough Grand Slam.
However, the Czech player made extremely light work of Raducanu two-and-a-half years ago in the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, although Monday's scrap will mark their maiden meeting on hard courts.
We say: Vondrousova to win in three sets
Expect exhilarating hitting between two powerhouses in Monday's headline match, where if Raducanu and Vondrousova's most recent matches are anything to go by, the serve could make all the difference.
Question marks may be raised over Vondrousova's physical condition, but if the 25-year-old can execute her serving mastery and renowned returning excellence to anywhere near its maximum, she has our vote to condemn Raducanu to a third straight defeat.
Ben Knapton
