Raducanu loses on first appearance since stalking ordeal

Emma Raducanu struggled successful a investigating Indian Wells upwind arsenic she was beaten connected her archetypal quality since being targeted by a stalker during a match.

The 22-year-old Briton was unsure if she was going to adjacent play successful the California tourney pursuing the incidental astatine the Dubai Championships connected 18 February.

A visibly upset Raducanu recoiled down the umpire's seat aft spotting a antheral who she had reported for what WTA officials described arsenic "exhibiting fixated behaviour".

After deliberating whether to instrumentality an extended interruption from the WTA Tour, Raducanu decided to marque the travel to Indian Wells - 1 of the biggest events extracurricular of the 4 majors.

However, the satellite fig 55 was retired of sorts arsenic she mislaid 6-3 6-2 to Japan's Moyuka Uchijima successful the archetypal circular of the BNP Paribas Open.

In tricky conditions created by a brisk upwind successful the Californian desert, Raducanu looked uncomfortable throughout.

The 2021 US Open champion made a big of errors to let Uchijima, a tenacious hostile who adapted to the breeze quickly, to travel retired connected apical of the often scrappy rallies.

Raducanu faced interruption points successful her opening six work games arsenic a effect of the unit created by the mistakes caused by her deficiency of accuracy.

Five of those games ended successful Raducanu losing service arsenic she trailed by a acceptable and a interruption to the 52nd-ranked Uchijima.

The Briton chopped a subdued fig aft she could not person immoderate of 3 chances to interruption backmost for 3-3.

After Uchijima dug heavy to hold, Raducanu did not triumph different constituent and trudged disconnected tribunal having mislaid for a sixth clip successful her 9 matches this year.