Raducanu wins Miami “Emmafest”

In their first ever meeting, and four years after their US Open 2021 debuts, Emma Raducanu edged out No. 8 seed Navarro 7–6(6), 2–6, 7–6(3) to reach the third round in the Miami Masters.

The first set lasted and hour with breaks traded in the fifth and sixth games, before going into a tiebreak which Raducanu took on her first opportunity.

Navarro then won the second set easily and Raducanu took a lengthy medical timeout for blisters on the balls of both feet.

When Navarro won the first eight points of the final set Raducanu appeared ready to throw in the towel before finding a second wind to win four games on the trot

She served for the match at 5-3 but had to settle for clinching the match in another tie break

After a match lasting 2 hours and 53 minutes, Raducanu said “I managed to find a third wind,”

“I was absolutely exhausted in the second set and I thought my legs were going to stop.

“I just kept fighting for every point like it was going to be my last. I guess that’s powerful and proof of what you can do when you put your mind to it.

“In the third set I used a lot of emotion. I’ve been through a lot and I didn’t want to leave it there.”

When asked where she would rate today’s win in the list of her best in tennis, she had no hesitation in claiming “It’s No 1,”

“I’ve not beaten a top 10 opponent this year. That’s my first one. She made me work so hard for every point and I had to fight and scrap for every point.

“I was never going to beat her by out-rallying here because she had me in that all day.”

The win puts Raducanu on the brink of a sharp rise in the WTA rankings.