Emma Raducanu vs Sayaka Ishii LIVE: Miami Open result and reaction
Britain’s No 2 put in a clean, composed display in Miami to roll into the second round
Emma Raducanu enjoyed a dream start to her Miami Open with a composed 6-2, 6-1 win over Japanese wildcard Sayaka Ishii.
The British No 2 lost in the first round of Indian Wells earlier this month in her first match since a traumatic incident dealing with a stalker at a tournament in Dubai, who had followed her to three events across the Asian hard-court swing.
She fell to a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Moyuka Uchijima and said she would aim to “improve everything” ahead of her appearance in Miami, which forms the second half of the ‘Sunshine Double’ of combined ATP and WTA 1000 tournaments along with Indian Wells.
And improve everything she did, producing a brilliant serving performance and staying firmly in control of the match despite a wobble against Ishii in the early stages of the first set. Ishii, who is ranked 188th in the world, was let down by a litany of unforced errors and struggled to find consistency, although her powerful ball-striking occasionally troubled Raducanu in the first set.
The Brit moved up a gear however and steamrolled through the second to set up a stern second-round test against American 10th seed Emma Navarro.
Relive all the action with The Independent’s liveblog:
BREAK! Emma Raducanu 6-2, 2-0 Sayaka Ishii*
A double fault by Ishii is a less than ideal start, but Raducanu makes a mess of a drop shot on the next rally to ease the pressure on her opponent.
Raducanu finds a way to return a booming serve and it just kisses the sideline! Deserved fist pump for that.
Ishii rushes a down-the-line shot and it’s miles wide to gift Raducanu a first break point in this set, 30-40. A brilliant second serve return and she’s a break up!
“Let’s go again, second serve, body backhand,” come the instructions from Jane O’Donoghue in Raducanu’s box.
*Emma Raducanu 6-2, 1-0 Sayaka Ishii
A lovely ace from Raducanu to start the second set as she means to go on.
Ishii has a chance with a second serve but can only slam it into the net, and produces an error on the next rally too.
Another tidy ace from the Brit to wrap up a very controlled service game.
Emma Raducanu 6-2 Sayaka Ishii
After a couple of tricky games where Ishii really found her range - and some devastating groundstrokes - Raducanu just moved up a gear, looking really solid defensively and behind serve. A tidy opener for the Brit.
Ishii has the physio on court very briefly - but it’s just to snip off a hangnail, no dramas.
FIRST SET! Emma Raducanu 6-2 Sayaka Ishii*
Ishii falls 0-30 down but quickly gets back to 30-30 courtesy of a couple of Raducanu errors, with two returns drifting long.
A bullet of a backhand gets Ishii scrambling and the 19-year-old can only force her reply into the net. Set point Raducanu.
Ishii fires long and the Brit takes the opener!
*Emma Raducanu 5-2 Sayaka Ishii
I’m wondering if the glare of the Florida sun on court is causing either of the players problems. Around a third of the court is in the shade now but the rest looks pretty blinding.
Ishii is swinging with wild abandon now and the errors are racking up. She looks a little more deflated after a strong couple of games earlier in the set.
Raducanu moves 5-2 up with a great, aggressive serve out wide, planting her next shot in the wide open space behind Ishii as she runs back into the centre of the court.
BREAK! Emma Raducanu 4-2 Sayaka Ishii*
Ishii has Raducanu on the defensive but sends a return long as she puts just a little too much on a forehand.
A fist pump from Raducanu after a sweet down-the-line winner to go 0-40 up, and the Brit gets the break!
*Emma Raducanu 3-2 Sayaka Ishii
A fabulous ace gives Raducanu game point in a much more comfortable service game.
Ishii fires back a stunning second serve return, however, which looks to catch Raducanu by surprise.
But she digs herself out of trouble to stay ahead.
Emma Raducanu 2-2 Sayaka Ishii*
So far Ishii is looking perfectly at home - but she nets to allow Raducanu back into the game at 30-30.
The power coming from the 19-year-old’s racquet is superb at times - as she demonstrates with a neat forehand into the corner - but can also be very erratic.
Raducanu fires wide and we’re level once more.
BREAK BACK! *Emma Raducanu 2-1 Sayaka Ishii
Ishii has the chance to break back immediately as a couple of sloppy errors see Raducanu go 40-0 down.
A fabulous tight-angled shot at the net by the Japanese wildcard and it’s back on serve!
BREAK! Emma Raducanu 2-0 Sayaka Ishii*
Ishii shakes out her wrist and gives a rueful shake of the head as a ball flies wildly off her strings.
She puts a little too much power behind the ball to go 15-30 down, but has more success with a couple of sharp forehands.
Raducanu plays a great return, deftly dropping the ball over the net, and Ishii gets her next stroke all wrong, but saves an early break point chance with a cross-court forehand. She isn’t looking nervous out here but another wildly long forehand gives Raducanu a second look at break point, and another error hands over the break.
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