(CNN)Emma Raducanu got off to a winning start on her Australian Open debut, defeating Sloane Stephens 6-0 2-6 6-1 at Margaret Court Arena.
19-year-old Raducanu, playing in her first Grand Slam match since winning the US Open last year, stormed through the first set in just 17 minutes against Stephens, herself a US Open champion in 2017.
But the momentum turned in Stephens’ favor in the second set when the American broke Raducanu three times to level Tuesday’s match.
Raducanu battled through some long rallies in the final set, taking a 5-0 lead and ending the match just before midnight (8am ET) in Melbourne.
“Both me and Sloane really gave our all and gave everything we had,” said Britain’s Raducanu during her on-pitch interview.
“I felt it was a really quality match with some very long rallies. I am very happy to have come through against such a great winner like her.”
Following her sensational US Open triumph last year, Raducanu endured a difficult run of results in October and November and said she was still “adjusting to the fast-paced life of the Tour”.
In December, she tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi and returned to action in Sydney earlier this month.
Her next match at the Australian Open will be against Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, with two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep a potential third-round opponent.
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Another British player, Andy Murray, also got off to a winning start on Tuesday, beating Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-1 3-6 6-4 6-7 6-4.
Playing in his first Australian Open since 2019, Murray beat Basilashvili for the second time in a week after also triumphing in Sydney ahead of the Australian Open.
This time, the three-time Grand Slam champion showed the same courage and determination that shaped Murray’s playing career.
“It’s been a tough, tough three, four years. We put in a lot of work to come back here,” said Murray, who considered retiring after the Australian Open three years ago before undergoing career-saving hip surgery.
“I thought I might have played my last match here, but to win a five-set fight like this again is amazing. I can’t ask for more.”
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, second-seeded Daniil Medvedev, finalist at last year’s tournament and arguably the favorite this year after Novak Djokovic’s withdrawal, defeated Henri Laaksonen 6-1 6-4 7-6.
There was also a straight win for home favorites Nick Kyrgios over Britain’s Liam Broady to set up a second-round clash against Medvedev.
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