Emma Raducanu refuses to blame Dubai stalking incident for her first round loss in Indian Wells

Emma Raducanu succumbed to a disappointing 3-6, 2-6 loss against Japanese star Moyuka Uchijima in the first round in Indian Wells.

Emma Raducanu refuses to blame Dubai stalking incident for her first round loss in Indian Wells

Emma Raducanu (Image via X)

Emma Raducanu is going through one of the toughest phases of her career. The British star recently made headlines due to a stalking incident she experienced in Dubai. She did well to bounce back and compete in Indian Wells, but her opening match ended up in a disappointing loss.

Raducanu was the major subject of discussion at the Dubai Tennis Championships when a man stalking her was removed during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova. The 21-year-old was seen crying behind the umpire chair after alerting the umpire about the man. Despite the incident, Raducanu got herself together and decided to compete in Indian Wells.

YouTube video

The British star had only won one match in over a month and was on a terrible run of form. She has been seeking consistency in her game since her meteoric rise to success at the 2021 US Open. Her search for it continued as she was resoundingly defeated by Japanese star Moyuka Uchijima 3-6, 2-6 in the first round of the Indian Wells Open.

FS Video

During Raducanu’s press conference, she was asked if the stalking incident in Dubai affected her performance on the court. She revealed that she didn’t have it in her mind while playing against Uchijima as it was just a lock of court preparation.

I didn’t have at all in mind what happened in Dubai. I think, if anything, a bit of lack of court preparation, playing against someone who played quite well in these conditions with an extremely uncomfortable wind. But I think it depends on the mood you’re in. I think all players will say that if they feel good, it’s great. If not, it can be more difficult and challenging. You have to overcome any obstacles that come your way and move forward.

Emma Raducanu said via Indian Wells Press

Raducanu is expected to drop from the Top 60 in the WTA rankings following her first round loss in Indian Wells. She reached the third round of the tournament last year and failed to defend the points this year.

Emma Raducanu says she has to improve “in all aspects” of her game after first round exit in Indian Wells

Emma Raducanu produced an error-stricken display in her first round loss against Moyuka Uchijima. The windy conditions didn’t help her as her game plan collapsed after leading 2-0 early into the first set. Indeed, her serve proved to be her biggest problem as she faced 10 break points on five occasions.

Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu (Image via X)

During the aforementioned press conference, Raducanu stated that she needs to improve the start of points and also to have a better shot quality. She added that she was looking forward to improving in all aspects of her game.

I need to improve the starts of points. I think that’s a big part of tennis and I can do that much better. I think I could improve by being more aggressive and having better shot quality on the court. I could improve in all aspects of my game, to be honest, after today’s performance.

Emma Raducanu said

Raducanu will hope to get a better run at the Miami Open which starts on March 16. The British star has begun working with coach Vladimir Platenik on a trial basis.