Sickness and a medical time-out mark Raducanu’s latest first-round collapse in Dubai

Emma Raducanu’s turbulent Middle East swing unravelled once more as the British No 1 fell to a shock first-round defeat at the Dubai Tennis Championships, halted mid-match by another medical time-out and ultimately overpowered by lucky loser Antonia Ruzic.

Raducanu entered the tournament already carrying physical concerns. Just two days after losing the Transylvania Open final, she retired from her opening match at the Qatar Open against Camila Osorio because of high blood pressure. In Dubai, illness again cast a shadow over her performance.

Originally, Raducanu had been scheduled to face Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto. However, a thigh injury forced Cocciaretto to withdraw after playing eight matches in eight days. That late change handed Croatian No 1 Ruzic an unexpected opportunity. The world No 67 had already been beaten in the first round of qualifying, only to be called back as a last-minute replacement hours before stepping on court.

Ruzic seized that opportunity without hesitation.

She tore through the opening set 6-1, dictating play and exposing Raducanu’s lack of rhythm. The Briton struggled to find her timing, her movement appearing laboured as rallies slipped away. Ruzic, freed from expectation, struck cleanly and confidently, forcing Raducanu onto the defensive from the outset.

Midway through the contest, Raducanu called for a medical time-out. The pause underlined the physical strain that has followed her across the Middle East in recent weeks. Although she returned to court and managed to wrestle momentum back, the interruption symbolised a campaign increasingly defined by setbacks rather than breakthroughs.

To her credit, Raducanu refused to fold quietly. She raised her intensity in the second set, tightening her groundstrokes and finding greater depth. The fightback culminated in a 7-5 set win that briefly suggested she might yet turn the match around. The crowd sensed a shift; Raducanu’s body language sharpened, and her shot selection improved.

But the resurgence proved short-lived.

Ruzic regrouped decisively in the final set. The Croatian steadied her serve, absorbed Raducanu’s aggression and then countered with precision. As the decider unfolded, Raducanu’s energy appeared to drain. Ruzic capitalised, breaking control of rallies and pulling away to seal a 6-2 final set and complete a 6-1 5-7 6-2 victory.

For Raducanu, the defeat marked another abrupt exit and a disappointing conclusion to her Middle East campaign. What began with promise ended with renewed concern over her physical resilience. The repeated interruptions, retirement in Qatar, and medical intervention in Dubai have stalled any sustained momentum.

For Ruzic, meanwhile, the night represented a career-defining opportunity grasped with both hands. Written off after her qualifying loss, she stepped into the main draw at the last possible moment and emerged with a statement win over a former Grand Slam champion and Britain’s top-ranked player.

The Dubai Tennis Championships continue without Raducanu, but her latest setback will prompt fresh scrutiny. Questions now centre not only on form, but on fitness and recovery management as the season intensifies.

Raducanu has shown before that she can rebound from adversity. Yet in Dubai, under the lights and under pressure, illness and circumstance combined to cut short her campaign once again.