Emma Raducanu thrashes former world No 8 as she steps up preparation for French Open and continues to 'build relationship' with clay surface

  • Raducanu has opted for games over rest in the build-up to the competition
  • She displayed her continued improvement on clay with an excellent performance
  • The Brit faces the raw power of 2024 finalist Danielle Collins in the next round

Emma Raducanu's preparations for the French Open continue apace as she thrashed former world No 8 Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in Strasbourg.

The second Grand Slam of the season begins on Sunday but, after her run to the fourth round in Rome, Raducanu decided to prioritise more matches over rest and received a late wildcard into the WTA 500 event in north east France.

And the 22-year-old showed her continued improvement on clay with an excellent display against a woman who had won all three of their previous meetings.

Russian-born Kasatkina switched nationality to Australia in March, motivated by her country's aggression in Ukraine and stance on LGBT rights (the 28-year-old herself is gay).

Either as a Russian or Aussie she has struggled for form this year, dropping out of the top 10 to 17th. Raducanu was facing something of a wounded animal, then, and she pounced from the start, showing the kind of aggressive tennis which has made this by a mile her best clay season so far.

So potent was her returning that Kasatkina did not hold once in the match. 'I'm really proud of my performance,' said the world No 43. 'How I came out and was really aggressive and also how I managed to maintain my focus in the second set, when it was getting close.

Emma Raducanu thrashed former world No 8 Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in Strasbourg on Monday

The Brit has opted to play matches instead of rest in the build-up to this year's French Open

She will face a tough test against the raw power of 2024 finalist Danielle Collins in next round

'I had a great three matches in Rome. As I spend more time on clay I'm starting to like it more and more. I'm building my relationship with the surface.'

Raducanu's next match will be very different, against the raw power of 2024 finalist Danielle Collins.

Meanwhile, in Geneva, Jacob Fearnley comfortably beat Serbia's Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-1 to set up a meeting with big-serving Aussie Alexei Popyrin. Cam Norrie was last night waiting to see if the rain would clear in time for him to continue against Switzerland's Dominic Stricker. The British No3 was leading 7-6, 3-1.

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