Since her resounding victory at the US Open last September, the 19-year-old Briton has struggled to digest the fact that she has emerged as the new star of women’s tennis, then chained poor performance, such as her elimination in the second round at Indian Wells. a month later in a 2021 edition that was postponed to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to the Australian Open in January.

For her debut, Emma Raducanu took three sets (6-1, 3-6, 6-1) to eliminate France’s Caroline Garcia, who annoyed her in the second round, before suffering, as at the beginning of the match, law of his young opponent with a fist found in Indian Wells on Friday.

Something to reassure the latter, who thought she was not playing this match, when she injured her hip in Guadalajara two weeks ago. “It’s a bit of a bonus for me,” he agreed with a smile.

Among the other notable results in the women’s draw, the surprise exclusion in the second round of the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza (No. 8), which fell to the American Alison Riske (0-6, 6-3, 6-1).

Swiatek, Ukraine in the heart

Iga Swiatek (number 3), who is among the favorites of the tournament, is Polish, but she wore her dress, already painted in the same colors, a yellow and blue ribbon in support of Ukraine, as she is there dedicated to all during the tournament, in a message she uploaded to her Instagram account.

“I’m against war, I do not like to see people suffer. I am very proud of the Polish people, who welcome the Ukrainians. “I am proud to help them and to be able to be united in these difficult times,” wrote the 20-year-old Roland-Garros winner in 2020.

Speaking on behalf of the athletes, he added: “I believe we can use our voices properly. I am also thinking of a way to help, maybe by organizing something in my house “, he added, a few hours after qualifying in the 3rd round against a Ukrainian, Anhelina Kalinina, who gave him a difficult set, 5-7, 6-0 , 6-1.