Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu overcame wind and rain in a match which stretched over four hours to beat Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 on Tuesday in her first singles match of 2023 at the ASB Classic.

The match was twice interrupted by rain and the second delay in the deciding set forced the players from the court for almost an hour.

Raducanu returned to take charge of the match, immediately breaking the 17-year-old Fruhvirtova for a 2-0 lead and going on to serve for the match at 5-0. Fruhvirtova broke back for 5-1, then saved four match points on serve in a tenacious attempt to keep the match alive. But Raducanu ultimately prevailed.

“I think it’s like four hours later. Honestly, I don’t know what time it is anymore,” Raducanu said.

“What a battle. Linda is such a great young player and it was a different dynamic for me because usually I’m the younger one. Going into this match she is and she’s going to be up there for sure, she already is,” Raducanu said.

Raducanu’s second-round opponent will be Slovakia qualifier Viktoria Kuzmova, who upset fourth-seeded Bernarda Pera 6-4, 6-4.