Emma Raducanu

British pair Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper put injury-disrupted build-ups behind them to earn first-round wins at the prestigious Indian Wells event.

Raducanu did not appear totally over her recent illness and trailed 2-0 in each of the two sets, but grew in confidence as 28-year-old Kovinic produced a stream of errors. Various injuries over the course of 2022 wrecked her chances of finding momentum in her first full year on the WTA Tour and the wrist problem that ended her season returned to threaten her participation in Indian Wells. Britain's Emma Raducanu overcame a build-up disrupted by injury and illness to earn a gutsy first-round win at the prestigious Indian Wells event.

Emma Raducanu beat Danka Kovinic 6-2, 6-3 at Indian Wells.

I was expecting a battle and I am just glad to get through. She went from 2-0 down to 4-2 up and needed just one of her three match points to put Kovinic away. The 20-year-old was playing for the first time on the WTA Tour in almost two months after being put out of this year's Aus Open by Coco Gauff in Melbourne. Yet there were few signs of rust as the 20-year-old won in straight sets. "I think we always play through pain and it's just a matter of how much can you take - I'm looking forward to hopefully being out there tomorrow." [Emma Raducanu](/latest/emma-raducanu) avenged her 2022 Australian Open defeat to Danka Kovinic by beating the Montenegrin 6-2, 6-3 at Indian Wells on Thursday night.

Emma Raducanu's participation at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells is in doubt after she revealed the wrist problem she was troubled by last season has ...

I played on the weekend and then I rested it – it’s how you manage things when you aren’t prepared.” I’m going to do everything I can to be there. It’s something that has just come back, so I’m trying to be as cautious as possible.

E. mma Raducanu made a successful return to action as she beat Danka Kovinic in the opening round at Indian Wells. A wrist injury that hampered the British star ...

Kovinic knocked Raducanu out of the Australian Open last year in their only previous meeting, and made a strong start as she broke the British number one to take a swift 2-0 lead. It was a familiar tale in the second set, as once again Kovinic secured an early break only for Raducanu to immediately get it back on serve and what was a 2-0 deficit quickly became a 4-2 lead. [mma Raducanu](/topic/emma-raducanu) made a successful return to action as she beat Danka Kovinic in the opening round at [Indian Wells](/topic/indian-wells).

British player, still recovering from tonsillitis, showed determination to defeat Danka Kovinic in the first round.

Even as Raducanu increased her pace of shot in the second set, she continued to play high percentage tennis, lengthening points and refusing to miss in the wind, and was rewarded with a positive victory. In Indian Wells, while still recovering from her illness, Raducanu revealed that she is now suffering with the wrist problems that affected her at the end of last season, and as a result had spent minimal time on the practice court. After trailing 2-0 again, Raducanu recovered by returning well and pressuring Kovinic throughout the set with her depth. She immediately fell 2-0 down, but quickly adapted to the wind by opting to play with more margin, throwing up loopy topspin balls, grinding out errors from her opponent and limiting her own mistakes. Even the match-up with Kovinic was a reminder of her physical frailty. After starting her year with an ankle sprain in New Zealand and then taking time off after the Australian Open, she was forced to withdraw from the ATX Open in Austin two weeks ago after contracting tonsillitis.

A wrist injury and tonsillitis affected the 2021 US Open champion in the build-up, but her opponent did not put up much of a fight.

(Kovinic represented only her third victory of 2023, along with two defeats.) Saturday’s opponent, Magda Linette of Poland, stands at a career-best No 21 in the world, but that is based largely on a single tournament: her recent run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open. The main focus for Raducanu, though, is to achieve some momentum in a career that has barely got going again since she scored her mind-boggling US Open triumph 18 months ago. And then, when Kovinic found some belated timing after a bathroom break at the end of the first set, she recognised that she needed to push a little harder. In Australia, it was the limited movement caused by a sprained ankle. Raducanu’s 6-2, 6-3 victory over Danka Kovinic – the world No 62 from Montenegro – depended on her superior consistency on what was a gusty day in the Californian desert. Kovinic thus made for a disappointing opponent – just as Raducanu’s most recent victim Tamara Korpatsch had done in the first round of January’s Australian Open.

The 20-year-old is scheduled to face Danka Kovinic in the first round of the Indian Wells tournament on Thursday.

I'm going to do everything I can to be there tomorrow. She ended her 2022 season early after suffering a wrist injury in October and also battled to overcome an ankle injury in the build-up to Melbourne It's something that has just come back, so I'm trying to be as cautious as possible. but the British No 1 is still 'hopeful' she can play at Indian Wells The 20-year-old is scheduled to face Danka Kovinic in the first round of the Indian Wells She ended her 2022 season early after suffering a wrist injury in October and also battled to overcome an ankle injury in the build-up to Melbourne.

Emma Raducanu beats Danka Kovinic 6-2 6-3 in opening round of BNP Paribas Open; British No 1 will face Polands Magda Linette for a place in the third round; ...

Looking ahead to her next opponent, Raducanu added: "Magda has had a great season and her results prove that. Being a break down is obviously difficult, but mentally I just took it one point at a time." I was expecting a battle and I am just glad to get through.

The British number one progressed to the next stage of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Looking ahead to her next opponent, Raducanu added: “Magda has had a great season and her results prove that. I was expecting a battle and I am just glad to get through. Being a break down is obviously difficult, but mentally I just took it one point at a time.”

British tennis star Emma Raducanu was all smiles with fans at Indian Wells ahead of her opening round clash against Danka Kovinic on Thursday.But the.

[BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/64895664) after her practice session, Raducanu claimed she was hopeful she would be able to make it through her match with Kovinic. [Australian Open defeat to Coco Gauff](https://talksport.com/sport/tennis/1306450/emma-raducanu-australian-open-result-coco-gauff/) seven weeks ago. [wrist injury](https://talksport.com/sport/tennis/1212098/emma-raducanu-injury-end-2022-season-transylvania-open/) before she pulled out of the WTA 250 event in Austin last month having been struck down [with a bout on tonsillitis](https://talksport.com/sport/tennis/1344285/emma-raducanu-withdraw-tournament-setback/). [The Daily Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2023/03/07/indian-wells-2023-emma-raducanu-fresh-injury-scare/) reporting that the youngster did so as she is being cautious with her body after recovering from what was a heavy virus. Raducanu also cancelled her practice session on Tuesday, before taking to the court on Wednesday for a one-hour session with coach Sebastian Sachs – where she had strapping on both wrists. [winning the US Open in 2021](https://talksport.com/sport/tennis/942019/emma-raducanu-history-leylah-fernandez-us-open/), has sparked further fitness concerns after revealing her wrist injury has returned.

Emma Raducanu defeated Danka Kovinic in the first round of Indian Wells 6-2 6-3 on Thursday.

"She's had a great season so far," Raducanu said. [after admitting that she was struggling with a longstanding wrist problem](https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/wta-indian-wells/2023/emma-raducanu-says-her-wrist-injury-has-returned-ahead-of-indian-wells-opener-in-california_sto9483482/story.shtml). 1 has not given up on Miami Open entry](https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/atp-miami/2023/novak-djokovic-s-coach-goran-ivanisevic-says-the-world-no.-1-has-not-given-up-on-miami-open-entry-th_sto9494169/story.shtml) "It was a good match for me to get through," Raducanu said. I was expecting [a battle] going into today, and I'm just glad to get through. "I'm happy I stuck in.

The British number one progressed to the next stage of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Looking ahead to her next opponent, Raducanu added: “Magda has had a great season and her results prove that. I was expecting a battle and I am just glad to get through. Being a break down is obviously difficult, but mentally I just took it one point at a time.”

Emma Raducanu put any fears of her withdrawing from Indian Wells through injury to bed with an impressive 6-2 6-3 win over Danka Kovinic in the opening ...

She went on to take several weeks out of action before planning a comeback at the ATX Open last month, but the 20-year-old was forced to pull out after contracting tonsillitis. Her 2022 campaign was cut short due to a wrist injury, forcing her to miss the Billie Jean King Cup. It's been a tough start to 2023 for Raducanu with injuries continuing to plague her progress.

Emma Raducanu is enjoying Indian Wells despite playing through the pain barrier.The 20-year-old, who has been plagued with injury problems since winni.

“Magda has had a great season and her results prove that. Being a break down is obviously difficult, but mentally I just took it one point at a time.” I was expecting a battle and I am just glad to get through.

Emma Raducanu says she has been taking a break from social media since her exit at the Australian Open to focus on tennis.

"Today, before the match, I did not warm up. "I just woke up feeling not great, to be honest. "I didn't feel too good this morning [Thursday]," she told BBC radio. Raducanu has endured a disrupted start to 2023. I’m just human." WTA Indian Wells