Emma Raducanu kicks off 2023 with rain-delayed win in Auckland | Tennis

Emma Raducanu won her first match of 2023 on the WTA Tour with a win over Linda Fruhvirtova in the first round of the ASB Classic in Auckland on Tuesday. Raducanu dropped his first set to the 17-year-old from the Czech Republic, but came back to win the second and third in a rain-hit match.

The Brit, ranked 78th in the world, won 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 over Fruhvirtova, who is one ranking place behind. Fruhvirtova is the youngest player in the top 100 and the youngest since Coco Gauff, who won her first WTA title at the final in Chennai in September.

Raducanu will face 24-year-old Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova in the round of 18.

I think it took about four hours, Raducanu said when asked about the time it took him to complete his opening match. Honestly, I don’t even know what time it is anymore.

It was a great fight, Linda is such a great young player. It was a different dynamic for me because normally I was younger. Massive props to him and thanks to everyone for putting up with us.

In Australia, Novak Djokovic received another joyous reception when he arrived on court for his match against Frances Constant Lestienne at the Adelaide International.

Djokovic eased to love with the length of his opening service game before breaking his opponent in the fifth set with the only loss of serve of the set. He then broke twice early in the set as he sailed into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 win.

I played very well, he said. The first six games were very competitive and I’ve never faced him before. He’s a counter-puncher, he doesn’t make too many mistakes. He has a tricky serve, he hits his spots. But when I broke in the first set at 3-2, I thought I’d step it up and played really good tennis for the rest of the match.

Djokovic will face another Frenchman, Quentin Halys. Last years Australian Open finalist Daniil Medvedev also survived after Lorenzo Sonego retired.

It was an unfortunate start to 2023 for Andy Murray, who fell to a loss to Sebastian Korda in Adelaide. At 22, 13 years younger than Murray, Korda had won their only previous meeting at the 2022 Gijon Open. The 6ft 5in American, ranked 33rd in the world and 16 places higher than the British fourth, repeated the win with a 7-6 (3) 6-3 success in an hour and 56 minutes.

And in the United Cup, Croatia and Poland secured the group stage with a win over France and Switzerland. On Wednesday, Poland will face Italy in the Brisbane final, Croatia will face Greece in Perth, and Great Britain will face the USA in Sydney. The three winners and the best performing team advance to the semi-finals, which start on Friday.