Emma Raducanu retired during the third set of her first-round match with qualifier Camila Osorio at the Qatar Open after attempting to continue playing after a medical timeout.
The British No. 1 was looking to move on quickly after the disappointment of Saturday’s straight-set loss to home favorite Sorana Cirstea in the Transylvania Open final, a match she described as “emotionally and physically very difficult”.
Raducanu – who split from her coach Francisco Roig following her second-round exit at the Australian Open – had made a positive start in Doha, building on an early break to close the first set 6-2 in 38 minutes. But world number 80 Osorio – who won a WTA Challenger event in Manila last month – regrouped for the second set as Raducanu struggled to find her range from the baseline.
Osorio’s pressure soon showed as she broke and then held Raducanu to move ahead 4–2 before maintaining her momentum to make it 6–4 and level the match.
Raducanu was broken again at the start of the deciding set and opted not to chase a drop shot into the net before calling the physio. After a long chat – and having her blood pressure checked – the Brit went back on the court, but then lost the second game to love and walked back to the net to shake Osorio’s hand and retire.
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