Emma Raducanu insists she is “not too concerned” about tournament results and instead want to work on her game at Indian Wells this week, live on Sky Sports.
The former US Open champion has won three of the seven matches she has played in 2024 following her return from triple surgery last spring on both wrists and one ankle.
Raducanu will play Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova on Thursday in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open, which gets under way on Wednesday with three other Britons in action – Jack Draper, Katie Boulter and Andy Murray – live on Sky Sports Tennis from 7pm.
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Speaking to the BBC ahead of her opening match, Raducanu said that her priority this year is to develop her game. “I want to work on becoming a better tennis player.
“I think for me, I’m not too concerned about this year’s tournaments. A lot of people out there would say that I need matches, but I think that for me, I want to work on my game and development.
“Taking time to do that is very necessary and not just following the crowd, or playing a lot of matches, or dropping down (below the WTA Tour) to do that. I want to work on developing skills.”
Raducanu played her best tennis of 2023 in Indian Wells, reaching the fourth round having found out just before the tournament began that she was likely to need surgery on both her wrists.
“It’s just a bit of a journey for me,” she added. “You don’t really know what to expect after being out for eight months.
“I felt like because I was so go-go-go since December, I felt like I became a little fatigued, so it was good to go back, freshen up and practise for the American swing, which I’m a big fan of.”
British No 1 Katie Boulter, winner of last week’s San Diego Open, plays Italy’s Camila Giorgi in the first round from 9pm on Wednesday, with the winner of that match up against No 26 seed Linda Noskova.
The top 32 players in the world receive a bye into the second round at Indian Wells, but world No 27 Boulter is having to play a first-round match as the seedings are based on last week’s rankings.
Dart and Broady beaten in final round of Indian Wells qualifying
Harriet Dart fell in the final qualifying round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells with a straight-sets defeat to Liv Hovde.
Harriet Dart failed to add to the number of Brits in the Indian Wells draw as she lost in the last round of qualifying
The 18-year-old American, a former junior champion at Wimbledon in 2022, proved too strong for the British No 3, winning 6-2 6-3 in one hour and 11 minutes.
Hovde is 196 places below Dart’s world ranking of 90 at 286, but the teenager had won their only previous meeting at the W60 Arcadia in 2022.
Dart, the number 10 seed in qualifying, was outgunned in the first set as Hovde took early control.
The second set was a tighter affair until Hovde broke serve to lead 4-2, and she kept her composure to book a place in the main draw.
Britain’s Liam Broady too lost in the final round of the men’s qualifying tournament, going down in straight sets, 6-1 6-1, to Brazil’s Thiago Seyboth Wild, the top seed.
Nadal to face Raonic at Indian Wells with Murray in line for Rublev
Rafael Nadal will face a clash with former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic on his return to action at the BNP Paribas Open.
Andy Murray is in first-round action at Indian Wells on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Tennis
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Andy Murray has a potential clash with No 5 seed Andrey Rublev on the horizon if he wins his first-round match against qualifier David Goffin on Wednesday – expected on court at approximately 11pm.
Fellow Brits Dan Evans and Jack Draper have been drawn against Roman Safiullin and Christopher O’Connell respectively, with the latter match under way from 7pm on Wednesday.
Jack Draper opens his Indian Wells tournament on Wednesday
Meanwhile, 2021 men’s singles champion Cam Norrie will take on either Lorenzo Sonego or Miomir Kecmanovic after receiving a bye to the second round due to being seeded No 28.
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