Emma Raducanu is set for a very tough start to her Eastbourne debut as the 2021 US Open champion is set to meet 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens, while she could also meet No. 2 seed Jessica Pegula in the round-of-16.
Since Raducanu is a home favorite in Eastbourne and one of the biggest hopes for the locals, many were interested in seeing how would the 21-year-old Briton go in the draw. While former world No. 3 Stephens is past her prime and this week she only made the Birmingham round-of-16 before losing to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, she was once a Wimbledon quarterfinalist and definitely could be a very tricky matchup for Raducanu.
But at least Raducanu knows what to expect from Stephens, having already played once the 31-year-old American – when they met in the 2022 Australian Open first round, the now 21-year-old Briton clinched a 6-0 2-6 6-1 victory for her first-ever win at Melbourne Park. Heading into their second match, Raducanu can be regarded as the favorite considering that she started her grass season with a semifinal showing in Nottingham, while Stephens wasn’t convincing in Birmingham.
If Raducanu makes it past Stephens, she will play another American – world No. 5 Jessica Pegula who has a first-round bye. And Pegula – who made the…
