Emma Raducanu spent over 15 minutes signing autographs for scores of adoring fans following her 6-4, 6-2 victory over Maria Sakkari in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
When she finally made her way to players’ cool down area to reunite with her team, she rushed to give her mentor Jane O’Donoghue a massive hug that signified just how much that win on Sunday meant to her.
Raducanu arrived in Dubai carrying a four-match losing streak, which included opening round exits in Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Doha in the last three weeks.
The 2021 US Open champion had accepted wildcards to compete in the main draws in all three Middle East tournaments this month, and was searching for a first victory since her second-round success over Amanda Anisimova at the Australian Open four and a half weeks ago.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily sunk in yet. I’ve had a long time on the road and taken a few losses, it’s never easy coming back out,” Raducanu told The National following her third success in as many meetings with Sakkari.
“But I’m just really proud I’ve stuck it out and come through that match against a really tough opponent. I had to play really good to beat her.
The match was closer than the scoreline indicates, and Raducanu was forced to dig deep and defend through some intense rallies before she managed to overcome the Greek former world No 3.
“That’s one thing that I’m improving, my athleticism. The work is paying off on that side of it. I’m looking forward for the tennis side also coming together and then I feel like I’m building a good big picture,” said the British world No 61.
Raducanu is still without a permanent coach in her corner, but is relying on a familiar face in O’Donoghue during this Doha-Dubai swing.
She also has her fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura, who has been a key factor in the gains she has made on the physical side these past couple of months.
Staying positive through this sub-par stretch of results – the longest losing streak of her career – has not been easy and Raducanu is proud of how she has been handling it.
“I’m very appreciative, very grateful for all the wildcards I’ve received the last few weeks. I just really wanted to fight, do my best,” said the 22-year-old.
“I think something really important has been having amazing people around me. Jane, who I’ve known forever, she’s like a big sister to me. And Yutaka as well, their belief is unwavering, even though yours might quiver a little bit from time to time.
“But I haven’t lost to bad players. Ekaterina [Alexandrova] went on and made semis [in Doha] and Marketa [Vondrousova, whom she lost to in Abu Dhabi] is a class opponent as well.
“So I have to put things in perspective and just try take care of my day and stay consistent and not let it run away from me.”
Raducanu is making her Dubai debut this week and has been amazed by the support she has received since her arrival.
“It's unbelievable for the fans to stay out here so late and it really made a difference; I felt so much support.
"Walking off there, just going through that tunnel, that support was just out of control, in a good way and it’s something that I’ve missed for so long. That feeling is unparalleled, you can’t replicate it,” she said.
Raducanu has another big test ahead of her as she takes on world No 17 and last year’s US Open semi-finalist Karolina Muchova on Tuesday.
“She’s obviously an amazing opponent and I think, for me, these matches against the top players I’m playing, top 20 players week after week it’s unbelievable exposure,” said Raducanu.
“I’ve actually not necessarily played badly the last few weeks, it’s just in big moments they’ve played better than I have and I think right now I’m just enjoying this win.
“Against Karolina, I feel like she’s a lot more experienced than me, had a lot more years on tour, obviously a world-class opponent. I’m just going to go and have a swing really.”
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
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Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
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Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
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HOW TO WATCH
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more from Janine di Giovanni
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
SHAITTAN
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
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match info
Southampton 0
Arsenal 2 (Nketiah 20', Willock 87')
Red card: Jack Stephens (Southampton)
Man of the match: Rob Holding (Arsenal)
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Uefa Champions League last 16 draw
Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur
Basel v Manchester City
Sevilla v Manchester United
Porto v Liverpool
Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain
Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma
Chelsea v Barcelona
Bayern Munich v Besiktas
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
