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Tennis

Emma Raducanu fails to take match points in defeat by Jessica Pegula at China Open

Emma Raducanu again failed to take three match points as she was beaten 6-3 6-7 (9-11) 6-0 by Jessica Pegula in a hard-fought last-32 tie at the China Open.

The British number one, who lost to Barbora Krejcikova in similar fashion earlier this month, faded in a match that lasted two hours and 21 minutes.

Meanwhile, fellow Briton Sonay Kartal advanced to the round of 16 after beating Maya Joint in Beijing.

Raducanu, ranked 32 in the world, took the first set against world number seven Pegula before both players wrestled for control in the second – the usually composed American giving a shout of frustration and throwing her racquet to the floor in the fifth game.

Pegula went on to save two break points before a dramatic tie-break in which she saved three match points – two with backhand winners and the other on Raducanu’s serve – then dominated in the third set.

“It was a crazy match, ” said Pegula, who will meet Marta Kostyuk in the last 16 after she beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-4 6-2.

“That was really intense. I got myself back into the tie-break and just wanted to keep the pressure on.

“To be honest, I think I got a little bit lucky on two of those where I hit those two backhand winners but, other than that I just tried to keep fighting for as long as I could.”

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