Despite facing an opponent ranked 260 places higher in the WTA rankings, Raducanu showed her prowess to secure a 6-4, 6-1 win in their first-ever encounter, completing the match in 88 minutes.
Their scheduled match at the 2022 Citi Open didn't materialize due to Bouzkova's withdrawal, but she started strongly in Monday's contest, breaking Raducanu's serve in the opening game.
However, this break marked the beginning of six consecutive breaks of serve between them. Raducanu managed to halt this trend in the eighth game, ultimately earning a remarkable fourth consecutive break and clinching the set on her second set point.
Although Bouzkova saved one break point at the start of the second set, she struggled to maintain her momentum as Raducanu dominated the remainder of the match. Raducanu won six consecutive games, displaying clinical efficiency by converting seven out of nine break points. Additionally, she achieved a 70% win rate on second-serve return points.
Raducanu's stellar performance sets up a second-round clash with Ons Jabeur, who is seeded second behind Elena Rybakina in the tournament.
