EMMA RADUCANU admitted “I didn’t play very well” as was dumped out of the Australian Open in a crushing straight set defeat to Iga Swiatek.
The Brit went out following just over an hour of play after losing 11 games in a row as she was thrashed 6-1, 6-0.
The 22-year-old, who had made it to the third round for the first time Down Under, said it was “very clear” why she had suffered her heaviest ever Grand Slam defeat.
Raducanu said: “She played very well and I didn’t play very well, so… it’s just not a great combination.
“I’m very clear on what happened out there: if I’m not able to hold my service games or dictate, I feel like it seeps into the rest of my game.
“On my second serve, how the point is structured from then on, you feel a lot more pressure.”
Raducanu had beat No26 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in two tiebreak sets and Amanda Anisimova in straight sets to make it to the third round.
However, she had no answer against second seed Swiatek, who is looking to win her first-ever Australian Open.
Speaking about her next steps, Raducanu said: “Serving.
“The first two matches I got away with it against two top players because I was able to defend and move, use the rest of my game.
“But that needs to improve.”
Raducanu has now faced the 23-year-old Pole four times, but is yet to claim a single victory.
On the matchup, she added: “I would say the difference between playing her today and playing her in Stuttgart, where I was pretty close, is I was serving really well in Stuttgart.
“I think the groundstroke aspects of my game are actually probably better now.
“I just don’t think I was able to be in that situation too often today where we were on level terms from the back of the court.
“I’d say I’m definitely improving. It’s just one big factor is not as good.”
The positive for Raducanu was she showed no signs of physical discomfort, having struggled with injury over the last couple of years, including a back spasm as recently as last month’s Auckland Open.
She said: “Three weeks ago when I was in Auckland I was doing pool rehab.
“To be on a tennis court playing matches and competing is something I have to be grateful for.
“I started hitting when I came here 18 days ago, I have to take it as a positive that I was able to beat top opponents in the first two rounds.
“Today, no excuses from the back or physically.”
The British No2 continued: “What’s next? I don’t know, my team will probably tell me to take it easy. But I feel like I’ve got things to work on, I just want to get into that as soon as possible.
“I feel like I’m speaking from a pretty rational place. I’m not necessarily too emotional either way. I think I’ll just get back to it pretty quickly.”
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