Emma Raducanu wins opener in Slovenia as opponent Dayana Yastremska retires

Emma Raducanu shrugged off her recent plunge in the world rankings as she made a winning start at the Slovenia Open in Portoroz.

The 19-year-old beat Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine in her first match since the defence of her US Open title ended in a first-round defeat to Alize Cornet.

The No.1 seed @EmmaRaducanu moves into the second round after Yastremska retires due to injury.Final score: 6-2, 5-3.#WTAPortoroz pic.twitter.com/s4rjQShPDU

— wta (@WTA) September 12, 2022

It left Raducanu at 83 in this week’s new rankings but she had insisted she relished the “clean slate” it afforded her in her bid to return to the top of the game.

Raducanu saved all but one of four break points on her serve as she sunk Yastremska, who retired two points from defeat at 6-2 5-3.