"Let's go!" - Emma Raducanu beams with joy after she and Elena Rybakina 'survive' opening doubles match at Citi DC Open

Tennis stars Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina registered a thrilling doubles victory at the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C. The pair, nicknamed “ER²,” dropped the first set 6-2 against Tereza Mihalíková and Olivia Nicholls.

However, the duo made a comeback in style, winning the second set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-4). The third and final set lasted 20 games before Raducanu and Rybakina clinched the match point to win the set 11-9.

Following their win in the Round of 16, both players shared their excitement on Instagram. Rybakina posted a photo from the match on her story, tagging Raducanu with the caption:

“Survivedd 😅👋🏼”

Emma Raducanu posted a mid-match high-five photo and called the partnership:

“ER squared!! 💙”

The tournament's official Instagram account also posted highlights from their victory in their first fixture of women's doubles. The post's caption read:

"E² gets it done in a thriller 🤩 @emmaraducanu and @lenarybakina pull through against Nicholls/Mihalikova 2-6, 7-6, 11-9 in their DC doubles debut!"

In the comment sections of Mubadala Citi DC Open’s official posts, Emma Raducanu dropped a two-word reaction:

"Let’s go!!"

The duo's upcoming matchup has not yet been decided, but their singles fixtures are lined up for Tuesday, July 22.

What's next for Emma Raducanu & Elena Rybakina after doubles victory?

Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina will now focus on their singles draws at the WTA 500 event in Washington, which will run from July 21 to 27 at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center.

Raducanu is set to face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in her first singles match in Washington on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Rybakina will face Canada's Victoria Mboko in the first round.

Following the doubles victory, former British No. 1 Tim Henman thinks his compatriot is in good form ahead of the crucial tournament in New York. Henman told Sky Sports about Emma Raducanu's growth:

“She’s a much better player than she was in 2021 because she’s had four more years of experience and now she’s started to build more of a team around her.

"So I just hope she can continue in that vein because if she keeps doing the right things on the practice court, the results will come on the match because she’s that good a player. And I think it was great to see her on the biggest stage in our sport against the number one player in the world," she added.

Following Washington, both stars will head to Montreal (Canadian Open, WTA 1000: July 28 - August 7) and then Cincinnati ahead of the US Open. This tournament serves as preparation for the 2025 US Open, which is set to take place in New York.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar