Emma Raducanu vs Ena Shibahara LIVE: Tennis scores and updates from Nottingham Open
Follow all the live action from Emma Raducanu’s return to grass ahead of Wimbledon this summer
Emma Raducanu beat Ena Shibahara in straight sets on her first game on grass for over 700 days at the Nottingham Open.
The 21-year-old made the most of the home advantage, taking the first set 5-1, and then despite a small falter at 5-1 up in the second when she was broken twice in succession, she fought back to win the match.
Raducanu skipped the French Open to focus on her fitness, but said she was in a good place ahead of the Nottingham Open, and showed some of what she is capable of in her first match, where she served four aces and wrapped up victory in an hour and 10 minutes.
Ons Jabeur is also in action and the former Wimbledon finalist takes on Camila Osorio later today.
Andy Murray will begin his grass court season in Stuttgart as his Wimbledon preparation could also be the start of a farewell, and he has previously indicated this could be his final season before retirement.
Defending champion Katie Boulter edged past Harriet Dart yesterday, with the latter left furious after a line call. Dart offered a £50,000 bet to the umpire in the ill-tempered affair.
Relive all the action from Nottingham below plus the latest from Stuttgart as Andy Murray returns:
Raducanu on Nottingham Open
“I would say Nottingham is a special place in my career,” she said. “I am fond of it because it’s where everything started, my first WTA match, then I played the 100k the week after and that is where I got my Wimbledon wildcard because I didn’t get it in the first announcement.
“I had to win two matches in the 100k and then I got the wildcard and made fourth round at Wimbledon. So it is a very special place, if I hadn’t got that wildcard who knows what would have happened, or if the US would have happened.
“So it is a compilation of small moments where you don’t know what is going to happen. It is obviously different coming back here having won the US Open than before.”
Emma Raducana speaks out about her injuries
“It was pretty surreal because obviously I couldn’t be on crutches because I’d had two wrist surgeries,” said the Brit about her injuries last season ahead of her Nottingham Open campaign.
“So I had a cast on one hand – I’d timed it so I didn’t have two casts at the same time, obviously – a splint on the other and my ankle was also pretty much immobilised, in a splint and stitches. I would just scooter around with one knee. As someone who is so active it’s difficult to just shut your body down.
“I think it’s very easy for me to lose sight of where I was exactly a year ago because it is pretty much a year ago to this day, this month.
“You get so caught up in your own world that you want more and more and more. But a year ago I was on a scooter scooting around and I didn’t know – there was an element of doubt. To be healthy and to be here, I need to cherish it. So thanks for reminding me to do that.
“Body-wise, physical-wise, I feel really healthy. I feel really strong. I’ve done amazing work with my trainer over the last few months, since surgery.
“I’m in a really fit place. I think my wrists are actually in a better position than they ever were.
“So there’s zero doubt or apprehension whether I’m hitting the ball or designing my schedule. It’s more about being proactive and not wanting to put yourself in any unnecessary situations.”
Emma Raducanu issues fitness update as Wimbledon preparation begins with grass-court return
Emma Raducanu has to remind herself she needed a mobility scooter this time last year as she prepares for her latest career reboot.
The 21-year-old will play her first match since April on Tuesday after choosing to skip the French Open in order to prepare for the grass-court season, which begins with the Nottingham Open this week.
Raducanu, whose 2024 playing schedule has been sporadic, is taking small steps on her road to recovery from three surgeries this time last year, where she went under the knife on both wrists and an ankle, leaving her needing assistance to get around.
Raducanu issues fitness update ahead of grass-court return
The 21-year-old will play her first match since April in the Nottingham Open on Tuesday
Harriet Dart bets umpire £50,000 over line call in ill-tempered defeat to Katie Boulter
Harriet Dart offered to bet the umpire £50,000 she was right about a disputed line call in her ill-tempered defeat to British teammate Katie Boulter at the Nottingham Open.
Dart told the official Kelly Rask that she was “embarrassing yourself” after the British No 2 was convinced a ball landed out during a rally in the second set of a tight tussle and later accused Rask of “threatening” her.
Defending champion Boulter kept out of the drama and sealed a 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5 victory.
Harriet Dart bets umpire £50,000 over line call in defeat to Katie Boulter
Dart was convinced a ball landed out in the second set of the Nottingham Open match against Boulter, and she offered umpire Kelly Rask an expensive bet
When are the matches and how to watch them
When is Andy Murray vs Marcos Giron?
The round one match is the third scheduled on centre court in Stuttgart on Tuesday 11 June, and will not start before 1.30pm BST.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch action from the Stuttgart Open live on Sky Sports Tennis, the British broadcast home of the ATP and WTA Tours. A livestream will be available via Sky Go.
The match will begin at around 1:30pm BST with Raducanu vs Shibahara is the second match on Centre Court.
When is Emma Raducanu vs Ena Shibahara?
The match will begin at around 1:30pm BST with Raducanu vs Shibahara is the second match on Centre Court.
How can I watch it?
You can watch the match with free-to-air coverage on the BBC Red Button. There is a live stream on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
Tuesday’s coverage begins at 11:20am and ends at 8:00pm - Red Button coverage ends at 6pm.
Emma Raducanu vs Ena Shibahara start time: How to watch Nottingham Open online and on TV today
Emma Raducanu returns today against Ena Shibahara at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham, which runs from 10-16 June.
The Briton has been out of action for the last six weeks following defeat to Maria Lourdes Carle at the Madrid Open. The former US Open champion opted against French Open qualification, instead focusing on “keeping fit for the rest of the year” and the build-up to Wimbledon.
After missing the grass court season last year through injury after surgery, Raducanu looks to build momentum against the 21-year-old Japanese player, who is the world number 274 and was last seen at Roland Garros, reaching the second round of the mixed doubles and the third round of the women’s doubles.
Katie Boulter is also in action and begins her title defence against compatriot Harriet Dart, with former Wimbledon finalists Ons Jabeur and Karolina Pliskova also in the draw. Britons Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans will compete in the men’s Challenger event to run alongside the women’s WTA event.
Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu in grasscourt action
Hello and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Emma Raducanu vs Ena Shibahara at the Nottingham Open and Andy Murray vs Marcos Giron in Stuttgart.
Raducanu insisted before the tournament that she is ready and fit, having dropped out of the French Open to work on her build up to Wimbledon following wrist and ankle surgery last year.
Murray will start the preparations for what could be his farewell appearance at Wimbledon with a short trip to Stuttgart and take on Giron, who has moved into the world top 50.
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