Emma Raducanu: Brit beaten by lucky loser in first round of Dubai Tennis Championships

British number one Emma Raducanu was knocked out in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

She recovered from a set and a break to force a decider against Antonia Ruzic, but the Croatian won 6-1 5-7 6-2.

Ruzic, ranked 67th in the world, was one of seven lucky losers in the qualifying round to fill a spot in the main draw after several players withdrew due to injury, illness or schedule changes.

With Raducanu’s original opponent Elisabetta Cociareto sidelined with a thigh injury, Ruzic broke Raducanu twice in 30 minutes to win the first set.

The world No. 25 then sought medical attention, just as she did last week at the Qatar Open, when she had to withdraw from her first-round match.

Although trailing 5-3 after another break in the second set, Raducanu fought back and broke two sets in a row to get back to one set.

The Englishman won six straight games at the end of the second set and the beginning of the third to lead 2-0 in the deciding set, but Ruzic won six straight games to seal the victory.