1 year ago
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Emma Raducanu won successful her archetypal lucifer since losing to Coco Gauff astatine the Australian Open successful mid-JanuaryBritain's Emma Raducanu overcame a build-up disrupted by wounded and unwellness to gain a gutsy first-round triumph astatine the prestigious Indian Wells event.
Raducanu, 20, was unsure she would beryllium acceptable capable to play due to the fact that of a recurring wrist injury, but won 6-2 6-3 against Montenegro's Danka Kovinic.
The 2021 US Open champion, ranked 77th, faces Poland's Magda Linette next.
Fellow Briton Jack Draper needed conscionable 55 minutes to triumph his opener, mounting up a gathering with compatriot Dan Evans.
Later connected Thursday, Andy Murray aims to articulation the brace successful the 2nd circular of the BNP Paribas Open, which is 1 of the biggest events extracurricular of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments.
Since sensationally winning the US Open arsenic a virtually chartless teenage qualifier, Raducanu has been incapable to physique connected that occurrence arsenic her advancement continues to beryllium stalled by fittingness problems.
Various injuries implicit the people of 2022 wrecked her chances of uncovering momentum successful her archetypal afloat twelvemonth connected the WTA Tour and the wrist occupation that ended her play returned to endanger her information successful Indian Wells.
With tonsillitis besides forcing her retired of a tourney successful Austin past week, the British fig 1 summed up her fortunes by telling BBC Sport: "When it rains, it pours."
But an businesslike triumph implicit 62nd-ranked Kovinic - successful Raducanu's archetypal lucifer since losing to Coco Gauff astatine the Australian Open - should assistance assistance immoderate lingering gloom.
Raducanu did not look wholly implicit her caller unwellness and trailed 2-0 successful each of the 2 sets, but grew successful assurance arsenic 28-year-old Kovinic produced a watercourse of errors.
Kovinic played immoderate escaped shots and struggled with her first-serve percent successful some sets, with Raducanu staying diligent and playing astute to grind retired a coagulated win.
Draper impresses arsenic helium besides makes comeback
Jack Draper impressed connected his archetypal competitory quality aft a seven-week lay-offRaducanu's triumph came soon aft 21-year-old Draper thrashed Switzerland's Leandro Riedi 6-1 6-1.
The left-hander had besides not played since mid-January erstwhile helium mislaid to Spain's Rafael Nadal astatine the Australian Open.
Showing nary signs of the limb wounded helium had been dealing with, Draper looked crisp arsenic helium dismantled 135th-ranked Riedi's serve.
Draper, ranked 56th, broke successful six of his 7 instrumentality games arsenic good arsenic dominating connected his ain serve.
Despite a seven-week lay-off, Draper showed wherefore is 1 of the ATP Tour's rising young stars by striking the shot confidently and consistently successful an awesome performance.
The accelerated triumph sets up an intriguing lucifer against 24th effect Evans, who volition surely supply a sterner trial than Riedi did connected his debut successful an ATP Masters event.
Evans, 32, received a first-round bye successful the Californian godforsaken and the Davis Cup team-mates volition play each different competitively for the archetypal clip aboriginal this week.
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