Raducanu hails Murray inspiration in Aussie Open

Emma Raducanu says Andy Murray was the inspiration behind her first round fight against Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open.

Raducanu started well and looked good for a win, before Stephens took the second set 6-2.

It was then Raducanu on an afternoon partly spent watching Murray triumph in a five-set marathon against Nikoloz Basilashvili, before rallying to take her first win in Australia.

“I had been watching Andy and it came back in the third set,” she said.

“I actually thought to myself, ‘Andy was a set up and then he was pushed to five, but he fought back so hard in the fifth that he made the decision’.

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“So when I got to three, I also thought, ‘I can do that.’ You know, fight like he did. So I was definitely inspired by him.

“I remember watching three years ago when people thought it would be his last game.

“I’ve seen so much of Andy and all his finals in Australia, but that match was one of the best fights I’ve ever seen. It’s great to have a role model like him in British tennis.”

Raducanu will play Montenegro’s Danke Kovinic at 8am UK time on Thursday.