Emma Raducanu again fails to take three match points as she is beaten by Jessica Pegula in a hard-fought last-32 match at the 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."
Kartal continues to impress in Joint win
Kartal made it through to the last 16 of the China Open with a solid straight sets victory over Joint.
The British number four was a comfortable winner against the world number 36 as she won 6-3 6-2 in one hour 12 minutes.
Kartal, who had beaten Alycia Parks and Daria Kasatkina to reach the third round, was quickly out of the blocks against Joint and raced into a 4-0 lead.
Joint eventually settled into the match and put up more of a challenge but the Briton kept her at bay and served out to take the first set.
Kartal's forehand proved too much for Joint and the Briton, ranked 81st in the world, broke in the third and seventh games of the second set before serving out for the match.
She will play world number four Mirra Andreeva, who beat Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4 6-1, in the next round.
Poland's Iga Swiatek also progressed after Colombia's Camila Osorio retired having lost the first set 6-0.
Category: General Sports
