The new tennis season has started with the ASB Classic, featuring some of the big names from the WTA Tour. Ahead of the first Grand Slam of the season, the premier hard-court tennis tournament is currently underway in Auckland, New Zealand.

Justifying all the hype surrounding its 37th edition, the WTA 250 tournament has started with a bang as the first-round fixtures have piqued the interest of fans. In another opening-round matchup, Emma Raducanu will be marking her return to the tour against her Romanian opponent, Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

Emma Raducanu vs Elena-Gabriela Ruse: ASB Classic first-round match preview

Emma Raducanu’s 2023 season came to an early end due to her wrist and knee injury woes. After undergoing necessary surgeries that forced her into the sidelines, the former U.S. Open champion will now be returning to on-court action at the ASB Classic. As she has not played a competitive game since she participated in the 2023 Stuttgart Open, the British tennis player has entered the WTA 250 tournament as a wildcard participant.

Elena-Gabriela Ruse, on the other hand, has started the new tennis season with her qualification matches for the ASB Classic. The Romanian tennis player breezed past Anna Danilina in straight sets as she cliched her first qualifier victory. Later, Ruse also outclassed her German opponent Jule Niemeier in the next match as she secured a spot in the main draw of the WTA 250 event.

Raducanu vs Ruse: Head-to-Head

This season’s ASB Classic will mark the first on-court encounter between the WTA players. With no prior meetings between Raducanu and Ruse on the tour, their H2H record is currently locked at 0-0.

Prediction: Raducanu to win her comeback match in three sets

Even though there is a lot of skepticism surrounding her fitness levels due to her nine-month injury absence, Raducanu will be looking to make a stellar comeback at the ASB Classic. If she manages to find the same level and rhythm that she displayed before, the former Grand Slam champion has a good shot at winning her opener against Ruse.

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However, the Romanian tennis player will make it a challenging and competitive task for the Brit. Ruse is well aware of the court conditions in Auckland, as she is coming to the tournament with a couple of qualifier round wins in her bag.

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