(Reuters) – Former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu barely broke a sweat as she brushed aside Japanese wild card Sayaka Ishii 6-2 6-1 on Wednesday to reach the second round of the Miami Open.
Raducanu, who was ousted in the first round at Indian Wells, regained her footing against Ishii as she won 77% of her first-serve points, fired down six aces and converted five of her six break point chances in the 65-minute match.
Up next for Britain’s Raducanu will be American world number 10 Emma Navarro, who won a WTA 500 event in Mexico in early March for her second career title before losing in the third round at Indian Wells.
“It’s going to be an extremely challenging match,” Raducanu said during her on-court interview. “She’s probably in better form, so I can go out and express myself and try and compete for every point.”
In other women’s action Belinda Bencic, fresh off a run to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, faces Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska on Grandstand while twice Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka opens the evening session at Hard Rock Stadium against Ukrainian wild card Anhelina Kalinina.
On the men’s side, Belgian David Goffin toughed out a 2-6 6-4 6-2 win over Australia’s Aleksandar Vukic to set up a second-round meeting with second seed Carlos Alcaraz.
Frenchman Gael Monfils was up against Hungarian Fabian Marozsan while Australian Nick Kyrgios was set to cap the Hard Rock Stadium day session against American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
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