Emma Raducanu admitted that she is struggling with her game and needs to plan her schedule better after being eliminated from the Qatar Open in the first round.
The 21-year-old wasted a set point in the second set tie-break, losing 6-0, 7-6 to Anhelina Kalinina.
“I was struggling with everything: serve, return, forehand, backhand,” Raducanu said. sky sports.
“I felt like I had never really gotten into it.”
Raducanu had been awarded a wild card for the first WTA 1000 event of the season in Doha, but suffered a fourth defeat in seven matches since returning from injury.
Emma Raducanu admitted she needs to plan her tennis schedule better after another loss
Raducanu lost 6-0, 7-6 to Anhelina Kalinina in the first round of the Qatar Open on Monday
The British number 7 recovered in the second set against the Ukrainian Kalinina after a one-sided first set, which lasted just over half an hour.
Raducanu saved two match points at 6-5 down in the second set to force a tie-break and was one point away from tying the match while leading that 6-5.
The British woman made 48 unforced errors, compared to 22 for the world number 40, who will face eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko.
“It was a combination of things,” Raducanu said. “It was the first day game I played in a year. That is different.
‘I need to practice outdoor training a little more. The lights, the conditions, the shadows… it’s very difficult to see the ball, I realized towards the end.
“When my tennis is not there, I have to try and at least fight and I did that in the second set.”
The 21-year-old Brit admits that, upon reflection, she needs to plan her tour schedule better.
Raducanu said he will now return home after consecutive weeks on tour, having reached the last 16 of the Abu Dhabi Open. But he said that he needs to decide what tournaments he will play.
“I just had trouble timing the ball,” he said. ‘It will come with more practice time and games.
‘It’s hard for me to get used to the tour schedule. It’s one tournament and then another immediately.
“I need to schedule my tournaments a little better and try to get more matches under my belt.”