Emma Raducanu makes frank admission after Indian | Sports News

Emma Raducanu faced a tough defeat at the hands of Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima with a 6-3 6-2 score at Indian Wells, facing strong winds and numerous errors.

Despite this setback and coming off a worrying incident involving a stalker during last month’s Dubai Open, Raducanu refused to let distraction be an excuse for her performance.

Teaming up with new coach Vladimir Platenik, she owns up to needing a significant turnaround after only one victory in her past six matches, especially at a venue where she has previously thrived. In the aftermath of the match, Raducanu remained candid.

“It was just a very difficult match for me,” she expressed. “I think it was tough conditions, difficult ball from my opponent. I tried to be aggressive, I tried to make the ball, but I guess it didn’t work today. I had great support around me

“I was feeling pretty good. I think today was just a bit of a curveball, but I guess I am just going to move on. I think I could improve every area of my game, to be honest, after today’s performance.”

Raducanu firmly put to rest any speculation about being mentally preoccupied due to previous distressing events: “I didn’t have what happened in Dubai in my head at all today. If anything, (it was) a bit of a lack of preparation on the tennis court.”

She lavished compliments on her new mentor, the experienced Platenik. He added: “It is good that I have someone who is very experienced here, and we will see how the work goes and how we get on as well on and off the court and the methods and everything.

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“I am looking forward to seeing how it goes. I think I just need to keep trying to put one foot in front of the other and not look back too much.”

In other news, Britain’s Sonay Kartal, stepping in as a lucky loser, left a strong impression by ousting American qualifier Varvara Lepchenko with a 7-6(6) 6-2 win, earning a match against the 16th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.

However, Jacob Fearnley didn’t manage to set up a clash with his old junior adversary Jack Draper, falling to Brazil‘s rising star Joao Fonseca. The 18-year-old Fonseca wowed the crowd by winning five consecutive games to secure a 6-2 1-6 6-3 triumph.

Reflecting on his defeat, Fearnley acknowledged Fonseca’s formidable play and mental strength, remarking: “He hit a couple of forehands that were massive. So he has the ability to up his pace of shot. But I think what’s impressive is how strong he is mentally and at such a young age.”