Emma Raducanu got back to winning ways in her just fifth match of the 2023 season, recording her third triumph.
The 20-year-old entered the 2023 Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open without any major expectations as she wasn't even sure of her participation, due to an injury that was bothering her. But in the first round, Raducanu forgot any injury worries and won the match in a dominant fashion, 6-2, 6-3.
The 2021 US Open champion often faces unreasonable expectations from fans, who thought that her career would skyrocket after the triumph in the Flushing Meadows. However, Raducanu is still a young player and she has a lot to learn, therefore, she figured out that the best way to disconnect from expectations and negative messages would be deleting social media apps from her phone.
“After Australian Open I deleted WhatsApp and Instagram off my phone and after that, I’ve been living under my own little rock. I felt like sometimes you go through patches where you just want to zone in on yourself and I was very content with my life without it. I’ve learned regardless of what you do, if you do good, if you do bad, people are going to come at you regardless.”
It wasn't first meeting between the Brit and Danka Kovinic, who she defeated in the first round in Indian Wells. The two met previously at the Australian Open last year and back then, it was a three-set triumph for a Montenegrin.
“I know last time was a real battle. It was three sets and today I was just like I’m going to be aggressive. I took some things that worked last time and really tried to dominate where I could.”
Up next, Raducanu will be taking on the 20th-seeded Magda Linette, who she defeated last year in Seoul, but she will be in a much different position this time, as the Pole had a great start to the season, reaching the semifinals in Melbourne.
“I just love competing even when (things are) against you and fighting through it. Having something that you are going through gives you something, more incentive to be aggressive to really cling on to and use. I think I found a way to use it as much as I can.”
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