Emma Raducanu vs Kudermetova LIVE: Italian Open latest score and updates – UK Times

Raducanu is grateful for the momentum shift and takes advantage as Kudermetova gives up a couple of free points with errors.

Kudermetova whacks a second-serve return long and Raducanu consolidates the break.

Kudermetova looks perplexed by a strange bounce off the clay as she shovels a forehand wide, then pushes another long of the baseline.

Raducanu gets to deuce against serve, and then produces the drop-shot return! A little fortunate from Raducanu there, but the bounce beats Kudermetova.

Break point: Raducanu loops a deep return and then takes charge behind the forehand. Winner! She comes from 40-15 down to break and Kudermetova smashes a ball against the backboard in frustration.

Agonising for Raducanu, who came back from 3-1 down in this set, served to win it at 5-4, but now goes a set down in Rome.

It’s a fierce rally from both players but Kudermetova looks to be on top and Raducanu shanks into the net to concede.

So from serving for the set at 5-4 to serving to stay in it at 5-6 down.

An absolutely lethal forehand return from Kudermetova just kisses the line – and she gets just enough spin on the ball to land a volley in the corner. Treading dangerously and her next shot is loose for 15-30, bit of a reprieve for Raducanu.

It seems at points Raducanu plays best with her back against the wall, and she proves it again with an aggressive rally, forcing Kudermetova to net.

But she can’t get anything on Kudermetova’s next return and launches it out of play. Set point Kudermetova…

A down the line winner by Raducanu indicates she hasn’t lost heart after losing serve, but her body language is looking a little different, a little deflated as this game continues.

Kudermetova lets out a roar as she produces a first ace, before backing it up with a carbon copy down the T. She nets – but claws her way through a tricky end to this service game.

It feels like Raducanu can sense the finish line in this set and she gets a bit sloppy. Kudermetova puts some power behind a second serve return and goes 0-30 up for a third time.

The Russian nets to lessen the danger, but another poor error from Raducanu as she fires wide gives Kudermetova another two break points.

She hits just long to waste one – but then a double fault, only Raducanu’s second of the set, puts us back on serve.

After that hugely tight game the tension has ratcheted up a notch, with shouts from both players as they secure points.

Mark Petchey gives some hand signals from his place in Raducanu’s box, gesticulating to move backwards.

Break points Raducanu! She moves 15-40 up on Kudermetova’s serve, landing an acutely-angled shot in the mid-court that the Russian doesn’t even bother to get to at the end of a long rally.

And she piles the pressure on Kudermetova’s second serve, moving up the court several steps, and is rewarded with a break.

Raducanu gets through it! Four break points saved as Kudermetova sends a shot wide. Huge relief for the Brit and we’re still on serve, nearly 45 minutes into this one.

Into a mammoth service game for Raducanu. Her serve isn’t firing so well as it was against Jil Teichmann and Kudermetova gets some joy with the second serve; she’s won six of eight points played on it so far.

But from 15-40 down Raducanu switches it on, blasting down two great first serves Kudermetova can only punch into the net before an ace. But she’s dragged back to deuce with a superb down the line winner… and it continues.

A great net smash by Raducanu brings up a fifth deuce – and she gets to advantage again with a smart volley.

Raducanu looks annoyed as she has time to get to a drop shot but sells it short and into the net.

Some fabulous serving by Kudermetova as she gets Raducanu off-balance with a powerful strike into her forehand corner, and as the Brit sails long on the next shot it’s a first love hold for the Russian.