Emma Raducanu ‘excited’ about new coaching collaboration after 80-minute victory in Cincinnati
Emma Raducanu described herself as “excited” about her latest coaching collaboration after sweeping past Serbia’s Olga Danilovic in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.
Francis Roig sat at courtside in Cincinnati and could be seen offering regular technical advice. This in itself is an encouraging sign, suggesting that these two have built trust quickly during the couple of weeks they have spent together since Wimbledon.
“We’ve been putting a lot of hours on the court, which is great,” Raducanu said after the match. “It’s going really well so far. It’s great to have him in the box here, [offering] a big element of calm assurance and confidence. I’m excited.”
Roig was formerly part of Rafael Nadal’s coaching team, and is known as something of a swing doctor. His influence was already visible in the confident way that Raducanu went after her second serve – a shot which has been vulnerable in the past.
In her service game, Raducanu has previously looked most comfortable when hitting sliced “sliders” out wide. But there was evidence here that she has been working on the topspun “kick” shape, which makes your second serve much more difficult to attack.
The statistics supported the impression. Raducanu’s winning percentage on second serve finished at 73 per cent – easily the highest figure she has recorded this season.
Once Raducanu had settled after a poor first game, Danilovic never managed to apply consistent pressure. In her previous match, she had overcome another Briton in Katie Boulter, but this proved to be a much sterner test for Danilovic, a 6ft left-hander who stands at No 43 in the world. By the end of this 80-minute beatdown, she was barely even running for balls.
The victory continued a commendable streak of consistency from Raducanu, who has now won her opening match at 11 straight events, dating back to Indian Wells in early March.
There was one anxious moment, early in the second set, when she could be seen feeling out her hip and lower-back area, and arching her body in a way that suggested she was suffering a recurrence of the spinal pain that has dogged her this year.
A greater reliance on kick serves could potentially exacerbate this issue, as the technique for this shot relies on an extreme back bend, followed by a vigorous snap forward as the wrist works over the top of the ball.
In the end, though, Raducanu managed to negotiate this match without needing any medical attention. Given the extremely warm conditions prevailing in Cincinnati, she will feel relieved to have made it off court in such efficient style.
As so often with Raducanu, it was a story of solidity from the baseline, combined with aggressive returning, which often found Danilovic missing the court on her first shot after the serve. In the absence of official statistics, I counted just eight unforced errors from Raducanu, as against 21 from her increasingly bedraggled opponent.
What a performance from Emma Raducanu 👏
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) August 9, 2025
She's into the third round in Cincinnati ⏩ pic.twitter.com/Qycdo7Lm8h
The challenge for Roig will be to add more attacking punch to Raducanu’s slightly underpowered game. This American swing is a good place to start, as the balls tend to be light and the high temperatures only encourage them to fizz through the court.
While Raducanu is smaller and lighter than a lot of the women who stand above her in the rankings, she moves so well that she can potentially take the ball earlier and rush opponents with her court position.
The appointment is an encouraging one, because Roig – a 57-year-old from Barcelona – has the experience of 17 years as part of Nadal’s entourage and has established an excellent reputation in that time.
In Christopher Clarey’s recent book on Nadal – The Warrior – the author quotes the leading Spanish player Feliciano López as saying: “Technically I think he [Roig] is the best coach in the world. He doesn’t use that much video analysis, but he sees things that the rest of the coaches don’t see.”
10:21 PM BST
Sabalenka or Vondrousova up next
Raducanu awaits the winner of the match between world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova who play later tonight.
10:07 PM BST
Raducanu wins 6-3, 6-2
Raducanu, serving for the match, crushes a backhand-cross for a clean winner a 15-0 lead. The Briton then throws down an ace to move 30-0 ahead. Double-fault gets Danilovic to 30-15. A lovely forehand winner down the line brings up two match points for Raducanu and at 40-30, Raducanu seals it with another forehand winner down the line.
Really good performance from the British No 1.
What a performance from Emma Raducanu 👏
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) August 9, 2025
She's into the third round in Cincinnati ⏩ pic.twitter.com/Qycdo7Lm8h
10:02 PM BST
Raducanu 6-3, 5-2 Danilovic*
Danilovic goes long with a backhand to fall 0-15 behind. The score then moves to 0-30 as the Serbian double-faults. Another backhand is netted by Danilovic to bring up three break points for Raducanu, and the Briton gets it on the first exchange.
Poor finish from Danilovic who has given up on a couple of balls. Raducanu has played solidly and deservedly finds herself in a dominant position but her opponent has been disappointing.
10:00 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-3, 4-2 Danilovic
Another strong service game from Raducanu sees her stamp her authority on the match. The Briton held to 15 as she moves further ahead in this encounter and closer to the third round in Cincinnati.
09:55 PM BST
Raducanu 6-3, 3-2 Danilovic*
Danilovic, looking in the mood to throw in a quick hold of her own, races to a 30-0 lead before Raducanu draws level at 30-30. The Briton then takes the lead as Danilovic nets a forehand from the baseline. And on her first break-point look, Raducanu breaks!
Good game from the Briton after being down 30-0.
Just a little more punch there on a couple of forehands, suggesting that Raducanu understands the need for urgency. Danilovic continues to struggle on serve.
09:51 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-3, 2-2 Danilovic
Super quick love-hold from Raducanu moves the score to 2-2 in the second. The Briton has not lost a point on first serve in her opening two service games in this second set.
Incredible from Raducanu 🤩#CincyTennispic.twitter.com/bESb8SKGih
— wta (@WTA) August 9, 2025
09:47 PM BST
Raducanu 6-3, 1-2 Danilovic*
A deep return sees Raducanu win the opening point before going 0-30 up. Danilovic gets to 15-30 as the Briton goes long from the baseline. Score moves to 30-30 and then 40-30, as Danilovic starts to throw down some big first serves. Raducanu gets to deuce and then advantage, as Danilovic nets a forehand. The Serbian finds a much-needed ace in the next point to get back to deuce and then gets to advantage but is unable to close out, as another deep return sets up the point nicely for Raducanu.
On deuce No 6 Danilovic finds a nice forehand down the line to give her advantage and the Serbian eventually sees the game out as Raducanu goes long with a backhand on the stretch.
Long hold there for Danilovic as she saves two break points. Raducanu was feeling out her back after her own service game, which feels like grounds for concern. She could really do with getting this match finished in straights, given the conditions, but her ball is not really whizzing through the court at the moment. It’s a Raducanu pattern I’ve seen before: the ball-speed can drop in the second set.
09:37 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-3, 1-1 Danilovic
Raducanu wins the opening point before an error sees Danilovic get to 15-15. A good serve out wide moves the score to 30-15 and then 40-15, as Danilovic goes long with an attempted forehand pass. Raducanu holds to 15 to draw level in set two.
09:33 PM BST
Second set: Raducanu 6-3, 0-1 Danilovic*
After taking a bathroom break at the conclusion of set one, Danilovic wins the opening point of the second set before Raducanu gets to 15-15. The two exchange the next two points as the scoreboard moves to 30-30, before Danilovic gets to game point and eventually holds.
09:27 PM BST
Raducanu closes out opening set with two aces
Goodness, Danilovic just crumpled at the end of that set. Nice work from Raducanu to close the set out with a pair of aces, but before that Danilovic had hit six straight errors, starting with an overhead buried in the net when Raducanu threw up a desperate defensive lob.
09:24 PM BST
Raducanu wins the first set 6-3
Raducanu, serving for the set, races to a 30-0 lead as Danilovic shows her frustration between points towards her box. An ace brings up three set points for Raducanu and the Briton finishes in style with another ace to clinch the opening set.
An ace to seal the first set for Emma Raducanu 💥 pic.twitter.com/FHY5Zo8K6z
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) August 9, 2025
09:21 PM BST
Raducanu 5-3 Danilovic*
Danilovic gets to 30-0 before Raducanu pegs the Serbian back to 30-30. Danilovic, struggling with her range from the back of the court, goes long with a backhand to give Raducanu break point. And Raducanu breaks as Danilovic sprays a backhand wide.
09:19 PM BST
Ferociously hot in Cincinnati
One obvious point we should make: it’s ferociously hot out there! A nice short service game like that for Raducanu is a bonus. She only had to hit five shots for the hold, with just one ball going in from Danilovic.
09:16 PM BST
Raducanu* 4-3 Danilovic
Danilovic nets a forehand in the opening rally. The Serbian then goes long with a forehand return off a Raducanu second serve. An ace gets Raducanu to game point and the Briton holds. Good love-hold.
09:14 PM BST
Raducanu 3-3 Danilovic*
Raducanu goes long with two returns to give Danilovic a 30-0 lead. The Briton gets to 30-15 as Danilovic sees a backhand fly past the baseline. Raducanu gets to 40-30 but the Serbian is able to hold and level things up once again in this opening set.
09:11 PM BST
Consistency is gradually improving
Great point on commentary from Jonathan Overend, who observes that Raducanu hasn’t lost her opening match at a tournament since Indian Wells in early March. Should she win here, it would be her 11th straight event with at least one victory. Her consistency is gradually improving, whatever the outcome today.
09:09 PM BST
Raducanu* 3-2 Danilovic
Raducanu, with good rhythm on serve, starts with another strong first delivery to get to 15-0. Three errors from the Briton see Danilovic move the scoreboard to 15-40 before Raducanu gets to 30-40 after a nice backhand winner played back in behind the Serbian. One more break point Danilovic. Raducanu double-faults to hand Danilovic the game.
09:05 PM BST
Raducanu 3-1 Danilovic*
Danilovic races to a 30-0 lead thanks to a couple of good first deliveries. Raducanu then draws level at 30-30, as Danilovic double-faults and then goes long with a forehand. The Serbian manages to get to game point after finishing at the net with a nice drive-volley on the backhand wing.
Raducanu gets to deuce after chasing down a dropshot and putting it away, and then advantage as Danilovic goes long with another groundstroke. Danilovic saves break point after coming out on top of an extended rally. Another groundstroke sails long from the Serbian to give Raducanu a second break-point look and this time the Briton takes it.
08:58 PM BST
Raducanu going after her second serve
Interesting to see Raducanu going after her second serve early on, she smacked a couple down at 101mph and 104mph in that third game. She’s spoken a lot this year about the importance of improving her serve, and maybe she’s been working on that this week with her new coach Francis Roig.
08:57 PM BST
Raducanu* 2-1 Danilovic
Good second serve to the body gets Raducanu to 15-0. Danilovic then goes long with a backhand as the scoreboard moves to 30-0. Another good first serve out wide gets Raducanu to 40-0 and the Briton holds to love.
Much more like it from the British No 1.
08:54 PM BST
Raducanu 1-1 Danilovic*
Raducanu gets on the board first before Danilovic takes a 30-15 lead. The Briton levels up at 30-30 after catching the Serbian with a deep return.
An extended rally at deuce sees Danilovic get to advantage after throwing in a nice dropshot on the backhand wing. Raducanu gets back to deuce as Danilovic nets a backhand and then advantage after the Serbian double-faults.
Break point, Raducanu... and the Briton retrieves the break at the first time of asking.
08:48 PM BST
First set: Emma Raducanu* 0-1 Olga Danilovic
Sluggish start from Raducanu who is broken to love.
The Briton hit three balls long and threw down a double-fault in what was a nervy opening game.
08:41 PM BST
Players are on court and warming up
Emma Raducanu won the toss and has elected to serve.
08:37 PM BST
Tsitsipas gets it done in straights
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 25th seed, is through to the third round after a good 7-6, 6-2 victory over Fabian Marozan.
Thou shall Tsitsipas 🙌@steftsitsipas edges Marozsan 7-6 6-2. #CincyTennispic.twitter.com/hK8L57g4F4
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 9, 2025
Raducanu and Danilovic are next on Champions Court!
08:30 PM BST
Brits in action
As mentioned in the preview, Katie Boulter lost to Olga Danilovic in the first round on Thursday.
Sonay Kartal nearly came through against the retiring Caroline Garcia but lost out in three sets on Friday.
On the men’s side, Jacob Fearnley fell to Belgian Zizou Bergs in straight sets. British No 2 Cameron Norrie, the 32nd seed who received a first-round bye, gets his campaign under way on Sunday against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
08:21 PM BST
First-time meeting
Good evening and welcome to second-round coverage of Emma Raducanu versus Olga Danilovic at the Cincinnati Open.
Raducanu made a run to the third round in Montreal last week, picking up good straight-set wins over Elena-Gabriela Ruse in round one and 32nd-seeded American Peyton Stearns in round two. Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova, world No 7, ended the Briton’s run at the WTA 1000 event.
The British No 1, who recently confirmed the appointment of new coach Francis Roig for the remainder of the season, is making her second appearance at the Cincinnati Open and first in three years. Seeded 10th and ranked 13th in the world in the 2022 edition, Raducanu beat Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka before losing to Jessica Pegula in the round of 16.
Our tennis correspondent Simon Briggs describes the appointment of Roig, who was part of Rafael Nadal’s coaching team for 17 years, as a statement of intent and believes it should be a good fit for the Briton.
“If Raducanu wants to return to the top 20 or even the top 10, she must learn to last the course better. She needs to add more endurance and stoicism to her all-round package – and who better to aid her in that than a long-term Nadal collaborator?,” writes Briggs. Read more here.
Unlike Raducanu, who started in Washington, Danilovic got her North American hard-court campaign under way last week in Canada. The 24-year-old Serbian, playing her first match since a second-round exit at Wimbledon, lost in straight sets to Veronika Kudermetova in Montreal.
Katie Boulter felt the force of Danilovic in the first round here. The lefty saw off the British No 2 in straight sets – 6-0, 7-5. Danilovic has a 20-13 record in 2025, Raducanu is at 23-16. This is the first time the two have played each other on the main tour.
* This article was originally published here
