MIAMI — Emma Raducanu is showing promising form at the Miami Open.
Building on her victory over No. 8 seed Emma Navarro, Raducanu progressed to the Round of 16 at the Miami Open on Sunday. Her match against McCartney Kessler concluded with a score of 6-1, 3-0 (retired). Kessler was forced to stop playing due to a lower back injury after 43 minutes of play.
This marks the first time Raducanu, representing Great Britain, has achieved three consecutive match wins at a major WTA Tour event or Grand Slam since Wimbledon last summer.
`I am very pleased to reach this stage,` Raducanu commented after her latest win. `While it`s not ideal to win in this manner, I believe I maintained good focus throughout the match.`
Raducanu described her previous three-set victory over Navarro as deeply emotional, even comparing it to her 2021 US Open win.
She explained that a series of injuries over the past three and a half years have prevented her from consistently reaching the level she demonstrated during her ten-match winning streak at the US Open.
`The past few years have been incredibly challenging,` Raducanu admitted. `I don`t believe I`m completely out of the woods yet, and I`m still in the process of finding my best game.`
`This week, I`m happy that I`ve been able to manage things off the court, allowing me to compete with a clear mind and fight for every point.`
This renewed energy contributed to her decisive win against Kessler. Raducanu broke Kessler`s serve in all four attempts and secured 29 out of 43 points in the first set, totaling 41 out of 58 points in the entire match.
`It`s always difficult when you sense your opponent might be struggling with an issue,` Raducanu noted. `It`s crucial to remain focused and consistent because it’s easy to lose control of your own game in such situations. I think I handled that aspect effectively.`
`My practice earlier today was very productive, and I`m glad it translated positively into my match.`
Raducanu`s next opponent will be the winner of the match between No. 11 seed Mirra Andreeva and No. 17 Amanda Anisimova. A victory in the upcoming Round of 16 match on Monday would mark a new career-best result for Raducanu in a WTA 1000 event.
`Both are top-tier players who have won WTA 1000 titles this season,` Raducanu acknowledged. `They are both in excellent form, and it will be an extremely tough match for me.`
Rupert Caldwell