Emotional Raducanu battles into Eastbourne second round

Emma Raducanu said her emotional reaction to her first-round comeback victory at Eastbourne was because she received "some really bad news" before the match.

British number one Raducanu wrested control of a topsy-turvy second set against Ann Li before finishing strongly to win 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-1.

The 22-year-old, who had trailed the American by a set and a break, held back tears after securing victory.

Coach Mark Petchey and Raducanu's Billie Jean King Cup team-mate Fran Jones were courtside for the match.

"I'd prefer to not go in to it, if that's OK, but I just received some really bad news so I'm trying to overcome that in the background," Raducanu told BBC Sport.

"Mentally, in the first set, I wasn't really present. Fran Jones was there for me because she's a good friend of mine, so she knows what's going on behind the scenes.

"Having her support me was so meaningful."

Having still managed to keep her Wimbledon preparations on track, Raducanu will meet Australian teenager Maya Joint for a place in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Speaking in her on-court interview, Raducanu said: "I want to thank the crowd for getting me through some really sticky moments.

"It really meant a lot to me and I'm really proud of how I fought back after losing the first set.

"It was tough, it was up and down. But from the middle of the second set I think I found another gear and another level."

World number 38 Raducanu is building towards her fourth Wimbledon appearance, where she has twice reached the fourth round since her debut in 2021.

A run to the quarter-finals at Queen's was enough to see the 2021 US Open champion regain the British number one title for the first time in two years this month.

But Raducanu missed last week's Berlin Open as she continues to manage a back issue - and, a fortnight on from Queen's, she was given a stern test by 64th-ranked Li amid difficult, blustery conditions on the south coast.

Despite recovering from a 3-0 deficit in the first set, Raducanu fell short in a tie-break which she had led 5-3 and had to stretch out her leg after slipping at the back of court in the 11th game.

Li, 24, appeared to have maintained her momentum when she secured an immediate break of serve at the start of set two, only to gift her opponent the initiative in the next game.

An unpredictable set continued as, having saved four break points, Raducanu took her opportunity to move 4-2 ahead - and then restored her advantage at 5-3 following another exchange of breaks.

That proved the catalyst for Raducanu's excellent finish to the match, winning 10 of the last 12 games to blow her opponent away and complete victory in two hours and 18 minutes.

Raducanu will play Joint as the countdown to Wimbledon - which begins on 30 June - continues.

Emma Raducanu reached the quarter-finals at Eastbourne last year