Indian Wells Masters: Kovinic loses to Emma Raducanu in opening round with ease

• Emma Raducanu, who has not had much luck this season.
• Raducanu recovered well enough to post  victory.
• She won six straight games to take the first set.

In terms of results, Emma Raducanu hasn’t had much luck this season, but she’s off to a great start at this year’s Indian Wells Masters after a simple 6-2, 6-3 victory over Danka Kovinic of Montenegro.

The wrist injury that prematurely terminated Raducanu’s 2022 season, according to media accounts, had recurred before Indian Wells, but the British player appeared to have recovered well enough to win the opening match on Thursday in 1 hour, 21 minutes.

On Wednesday, she had strapped both of her wrists during a practise session.

Although falling to Kovinic on their previous meeting in the 2022 Australian Open second round, Raducanu ultimately exacted comprehensive retaliation against her despite falling behind 2-0 in both sets. The 20-year-old British player won the first set in six straight games and the second set in six of the last seven games, including four straight from a 2-0 deficit.

Serving in the sixth game, Raducanu averted three break points that would have allowed Kovinic to even the score at 3-3 and went on to win the next eight games.

Raducanu’s anticipated return was further delayed as she sustained a left ankle injury during the ASB Classic that hindered her preparations for the Australian Open, where she lost to Coco Gauff in the second round.

She had to bail out of the first-ever ATX Open last week in Austin due to sickness, and she also skipped the Tie Break Tens charity exhibition game on Tuesday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

A year earlier, Raducanu advanced to the third round of Indian Wells. She must defeat Polish No. 20 seed and Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette in order to repeat that feat in 2023.

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