Emma Raducanu carried her promising form from Nottingham to Eastbourne in a superb 6-4, 6-0 victory over American Sloane Stephens.
In a performance that advertised some of the very best qualities of her game, the Briton won a hard-fought first set against the world No 45 but upping the ante in the second set.
At 4-4 in the first set, Raducanu was serving down 15-40 but responded with an excellent drop shot followed by an ace. After holding serve she never dropped another game.
Asked if she was planning to watch England team face Slovenia at Euro 2024 later tonight:
Raducanu is relishing her Eastbourne debut! Flat forehand by Stephens drifts wide and Raducanu leads 15-0. However, the British player hits back with a big forehand down the line for the winner.
Second match point for Raducanu when Stephens flies a her backhand wide. This is aggressive tennis by Raducanu and she finished a sublime forehand. Game, set and match for Raducanu.
The British player books her place in the second round at Eastbourne.
What a gear shift from 4-4 in the first set. Raducanu on a run of five straight games and three straight breaks of the Stephens serve. Also now up to 75 per cent first serves in, during set 2.
Raducanu shows no signs of letting up! She wins the first point with a powerful forehand down the line - then another dominating point from Raducanu follows and an elegant backhand across the court is too much for Stephens.
The Briton seals the game by producing a sublime backhand down the line - right now, Stephens has no answer.
The Briton wins the first point of the game with a powerful backhand down the line. However, she finds the net in the next point through and its 15 each.
A dominating point from Raducanu follows and an elegant down the line is too much for the American and its 15-30.
A real chance for the Briton to take control of this second set - as her forehand is proving too much for Stephens and its advantage to Raducanu.
Another point for Raducanu and its 3-0.
Early stages of the second set here - as Raducanu is looking comfortable here! She steers a forehand down the line with Raducanu going 30-15.
The Briton fires another well-time forehand down the line to seal the game - this is gusty play from Raducanu!
What a finish from Raducanu there. The forehand was a liability for the first half hour, but she found her timing on it and the penultimate point of the set delivered the best shot of the set: a half-volleyed forehand winner up the line. More of that please!
Raducanu is growing in confidence here and absorbing everything that Stephens is throwing at her!
The Briton is showing brilliant power and placement - as Raducanu looks composed at the moment with serve, as she moves 40-15.
Now, the pressure is ramping up at Eastbourne.
The American is looking very calm and composed on her serve at the moment but Raducanu is digging in towards the business end of this first set.
Raducanu reading the American's serve well - which gives the British player two sets points.
Raducanu is creating so many openings for herself with the power she possesses in her game. She takes the first set after the third time of asking as Stephen's forehand goes wide.
Opening set to the Briton.
Interesting match! Raducanu struggling with her first serve - percentage dropped to barely 50 per cent for a bit - and talking a lot to coach Nick Cavaday. A few bad calls going against her, and an unlucky net cord, but she shows resilience to end a run of four straight breaks of serve.
Shot of the day from Raducanu as she steers a forehand down the line, with Stephens going the other way 30-15.
Raducanu is struggling with her ball toss as the wind begins to pick up at Eastbourne. The American gets a look at the second serve and drills a sublime backhand return which is too strong for Raducanu, break point.
However, Raducanu with a timely first serve snuffs out another break point for Stephens - who is beginning to find her rhythm in this match.
Raducanu bangs in a first serve and the ball flies away for the ace - a brilliant hold by the British player.
Stephens under a little bit of pressure here as she slips to 15-30. However, she gets back into the game with Raducanu's wild forehand.
Stephens pushed a backhand long but faces two break points when a backhand is called long - the American questions it but the call stands.
Big roar of 'come on' by Raducanu as she wins the game.
The American is looking very calm and composed at the moment as she moves 40-0. The American appears to have the upper hand when the rally goes beyond five shots. Her backhand is holding up well on the grass court.
Love hold for Raducanu - still waiting for this match to come alive but as we enter the business end of the set. Surely, the tension between both players should increase.
Both players are performing solidly without taking control and dominating.
Great hustle by both players but Stephens comes out on top. It was a brilliant return by Raducanu but Stephens races for the short ball and hits a well-time drop shot.
She doesn't drop enough because Raducanu chases it down and flicks a backhand into the open court for a winner, 30-15.
However, Stephens' forehand down the line is too hot for Raducanu and she breaks Raducanu for the first time.
Raducanu continues her blistering start with two deep returns to go love-30. However, she finally loses her first point deep in the court when she nets a forehand.
At 15-30, Raducanu comes unstuck with a wild forehand and on the next point she hooks one into the net. This puts Stephens back in the ascendency, getting her powerful forehand working and striking big crosscourt winners.
The American cruises to 40-30 - with an impressive forehand to seal the game.
Classic grass-court beginning with 12 of the first 13 points going with serve. Big differential on serve speeds though. Raducanu up around 108mph and Stephens just rolling 'em in at 92mph. Gotta feel like that will be significant down the track.
Apologies but the BBC coverage has just begun - so we have missed the very start of this match.
Raducanu starts like a train to race to 40-0 love, the first two points with unreturnable serves. The American goes down to love by planting her backhand into the net.
Sloane Stephens first to a decent round of applause but nothing like the cacophony that greets Emma Raducanu at Eastbourne.
Emma Raducanu is leading the way, looking down before she emerges into the court.
Is on BBC Two.
Emma Raducanu has declared she has 'rekindled a fire inside me' by playing in front of home crowds again as she beamed her way through her pre-tournament interviews at Eastbourne.
"I'm just really into it at the moment," said Raducanu. "I love the sport. I love tennis. I've really rekindled a light and a fire inside of me. Just very happy and enjoying it a lot.
"I would say right before Nottingham it happened," she added. "I'm just really grateful to have this feeling again because it's something that I've been missing for the last few years. I haven't felt this good about my tennis and just excited and passionate for a long, long time."
Former US Open champion has played very few matches on home soil - just 11 at tour level. Until this season, the only time she has gained momentum on the grass was in 2021 - her first summer as a professional.
Read Simon Briggs' piece full piece here.
By Theodore Gardner
Emma Raducanu faces up against Sloane Stephens in the round of 32 at Eastbourne.
In her last outing in Nottingham, Raducanu lost in the semi-finals to British No 1 and eventual winner Katie Boulter.
Boulter came back from a set down to triumph over the 2021 US Open champion in a combined three hours and 13 minutes.
This time out, Raducanu has history against her opponent. The last time the two faced off in Australia, Raducanu took the victory in three sets. Stephens expressed her annoyance after the match at Raducanu shouting in triumph after winning just her first point.
Stephens said: "I think she, yeah, has just a lot to learn. I was talking to someone in the locker-room, and I'm like: 'We'll be here when she comes down.'"
Raducanu will be hopeful that she can recreate her victory from 2022, and book herself a place in the round of 16. Stephens coming into the match on a sequence of six defeats from seven matches makes the chance of a positive outcome for Raducanu ever more likely.
Raducanu is in high spirits having recently declared that she has "rekindled a fire inside me" from playing on home soil.
She said: "I'm just really into it at the moment. I love the sport. I love tennis. I've really rekindled a light and a fire inside of me. Just very happy and enjoying it a lot.
"I'm just really grateful to have this feeling again because it's something that I've been missing for the last few years. I haven't felt this good about my tennis and just excited and passionate for a long, long time."