The Miami Open witnessed an impressive upset by British tennis sensation, Emma Raducanu. Despite having physio treatment for blisters during the match, Raducanu managed to pull off a stunning victory against the tournament’s 8th seed, Emma Navarro. This victory marks the third top-10 win in Raducanu’s career, and significantly, her first on a surface other than grass.
Raducanu’s victory comes on the heels of her recent separation from interim coach Vladimir Platenik, with whom she felt their professional relationship was deviating off course. Recently, Raducanu has been spotted training with Mark Petchey in Miami, who also attended her match on Friday. Although Petchey’s involvement appears to be more as a familiar face rather than a formal coaching role.
Prior to this week, Raducanu, currently ranked 60th in the world, had never won a match at the Miami Open. Her two previous attempts in 2022 and 2023 ended in disappointment. However, things took a turn for the better when she clinched her first win against teenage wildcard Sayaka Ishii in the first round, paving her way to face Navarro.
With the prospect of competing against the 8th seed, Raducanu expressed her excitement and determination to Sky Sports. She preempted the challenge as an opportunity to showcase her skills and compete for every point, considering Navarro’s superior form.
The initial stages of the match between the two Emmas saw them trade breaks midway through the first set. A subsequent tiebreak ensued, during which Raducanu managed to save two set points. She then switched gears, winning four consecutive points to clinch the first set.
The second set showcased Navarro’s experience. She increased her intensity and quickly secured a double-break lead. This had her looking fresher and more poised than Raducanu, ultimately leading her to force the match into a deciding set.
As the final set kicked off, Raducanu summoned the physio for treatment of her blisters, getting both feet taped up while receiving advice from Petchey. Despite the treatment, her conditions seemed to worsen as she lost the first game of the decider.
However, Raducanu managed to save two break points in the fifth game of the final set, a move which gave her a necessary boost. She then rallied back, breaking Navarro’s serve and securing four straight games after trailing 1-3. Nerves seemed to get the best of her as she served for the match, leading to errors and a break from Navarro.
In a thrilling turn of events, Raducanu overcame a 0-30 deficit to take the lead. However, further pressure and a costly double fault allowed Navarro to serve for the match. The surprise wasn’t over though, as Raducanu broke Navarro’s serve again to force a tiebreak.
In the tiebreak, Raducanu led 5-2 and capitalized on her first match point to secure her victory. The triumph took her just under three hours, after which she rushed to her team, including mentor Petchey, to share the joy.
Prior to the match, another British coach, Jamie Delgado, expressed his opinion to Sky Sports on Raducanu’s collaboration with Petchey. While he saw it as a beneficial short-term solution, he questioned its potential for a long-term partnership, given Petchey’s TV commitments.
Raducanu also had the support of her long-time mentor Jane O’Donoghue, who she affectionately refers to as her “big sister”, in Miami this week. This decisive victory marks a significant moment in Raducanu’s career and sets the stage for her future matches.
