CALIFORNIA: Emma Raducanu has sparked new injury concerns after pulling out from a charity exhibition event prior to her opening match at Indian Wells, as reported by Skysports.
The 20-year-old was scheduled to partner with Cameron Norrie in mixed doubles match for the Eisenhower Cup, but organisers revealed the British No. 1 had withdrawn.
In her first match since the Australian Open in January, Raducanu will take on Danka Kovinic on Thursday in the opening round at Indian Wells.
After suffering a wrist injury in October 2022, her season was cut short. She overcame an ankle issue in the lead-up to Melbourne. After being defeated by Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open, Raducanu took a break from tennis competition to concentrate on her fitness.
Due to tonsillitis, the former US Open champion withdrew from the inaugural ATX Open on February 26 in Austin.
Sebastien Sachs, who helped Belinda Bencic win the Olympic gold medal and has also coached Germany’s Julia Gorges and former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, is Raducanu’s fifth different coach that she has worked with.
Main-draw play at the WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells starts on Wednesday, March 8, with World No.1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek leading the field. Swiatek’s run to the title last year was part of her 37-match winning streak, the longest of the 2000s.
Swiatek sits at the top of the draw as the No.1 seed. Like all of the 32 seeded players, Swiatek has received a first-round bye. She will play the winner of the first-round match between Claire Liu and Alison van Uytvanck.
Two of the four former Indian Wells champions in the field could face off in the third round, with No.32 seed and 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu as a potential opponent for Swiatek. No.5 seed Caroline Garcia is the other Top 10 seed in the first quarter. Also in this quarter are 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, No.12 Liudmila Samsonova, No.13 Beatriz Haddad Maia, No.19 Madison Keys, No.20 Magda Linette, No.30 Leylah Fernandez and Danielle Collins. (ANI)