Raducanu, Vondrousova, and Mboko Suffer First-Round Upsets at Ningbo Open

Ningbo, China – A trio of Grand Slam and WTA 1000 champions were eliminated in the first round of the AUX Ningbo Open today, marking a surprising start to the tournament.

Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu fell to home favorite Zhu Lin 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 after requiring two medical timeouts, visibly hampered by a physical ailment. Raducanu also retired last week in Wuhan due to dizziness, raising concerns about her fitness as she attempts a late-season push. Zhu Lin, currently ranked No. 219, secured her second Top 30 win since returning from a six-month elbow injury layoff, stating after the match, “This year, I’m trying my best to perform.” She will next face No. 1 seed Mirra Andreeva.

Marketa Vondrousova, returning to action after a knee injury forced her withdrawal from the US Open, was defeated by fellow Czech Karolina Muchova 6-4, 6-3. Muchova acknowledged the difficult draw, saying in her on-court interview, “I’ll talk for both of us that we didn’t like to see it.” Vondrousova and Muchova share a close relationship and train together in Prague. The result impacts the race to qualify for the WTA Finals, with several players vying for the remaining spots. You can find more information about the WTA Finals on the official WTA website.

Victoria Mboko’s impressive run since her Montreal title win came to an end with a 6-3, 7-6(3) loss to Dayana Yastremska, who overcame a 5-2 deficit in the second set. Yastremska will now face No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina. Both players had been struggling with health issues leading into the tournament, but Yastremska demonstrated greater consistency in a match featuring a combined 16 double faults.

Muchova will next face No. 7 seed Diana Shnaider, while tournament officials stated they will continue to monitor Raducanu’s condition.