Emma Raducanu looked impressive in every department as she dismantled a beleaguered McCartney Kessler with the American calling it quits midway through the second set at the Miami Open on Sunday.
Raducanu was leading 6-1 3-0 when Kessler called for the physio and then decided to retire citing a lower back injury.
The British No 2 recovered from dropping her opening service game to win the next eight games before Kessler packed her bags.
Raducanu backed up her stunning victory over Emma Navarro – her first against a top-10 player in her career – to set up a last-16 meeting with either Mirra Andreeva or Amanda Anisimova on Monday. She is scheduled to play third on Butch Buchholz from around 7pm – live on Sky Sports Tennis.
“I think it’s a different approach this week,” she said in her on-court interview. “I think five minutes before the match I was playing spike ball with the team. It helps me to relax.
“When I’m playing my best tennis I’m really expressing my personality. I’d say I’m a bit of a free spirit so I don’t need restrictions or being told what to do.
“I think when I’m being really authentic, that’s when I’m playing my best.”
She added: “My movement is pretty good right now. I think I’m defending better and I’m returning really well. I’m pretty happy with most areas of my game. It’s just something that I’m looking to try and keep improving which will set up some stability.”
Speaking to Gigi Salmon, Raducanu said: “I was happiest with my focus. That’s such a big part of tennis and especially in a match like this.
“I’m in the third round and I haven’t been at this stage of a tournament in a while so I’m very happy with that. I returned really well so from the first point in the match I was putting pressure on her serve and I was imposing myself and my game from the first ball and trying to get used to the conditions match by match.
“I’m really proud of myself, my team, the work we’ve been putting in and the kind of environment we’ve been building.”
Raducanu feels the hard word she has put in with renowned fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura is starting to pay off.
“I haven’t had any major injuries which is the biggest struggle I’ve had in the past few years and touch wood, my body’s okay right now,” she said. “Also, the movement in the corners, I’m getting to a lot more balls and just by kind of practising it and challenging myself to get to each ball I think I’m developing the confidence and the hand skills to do something with it while I’m there as well.
“I’m happy to have put together a few good performances in a row and whoever I play in the next match I’m sure to be an underdog but I will relish that.”
Raducanu has been delighted with her performances in Miami
Annabel Croft on Sky Sports Tennis
“It was absolutely breath-taking right from the word go, just middling the ball, just beautiful ball-striking. It started not just for the service games but those returns of serve got into the head of her opponent. She just started outhitting her after one long exchange early on.
“You could just see the evaporation of confidence down at the other end. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her play quite that well the way that she did for those nine games.”
Tale of the Tape
Djokovic breaks ATP Masters win record
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Highlights of Novak Djokovic against Camilo Ugo Carabelli
Six-time champion Novak Djokovic moved past old rival Rafael Nadal and on to a record 411 ATP Masters 1000 wins with a straight-sets victory over Argentine lucky loser Camilo Ugo Carabelli.
Djokovic had gone level with Nadal after a routine triumph over Rinky Hijikata on Friday and followed it up with an equally comprehensive 6-1 7-6 (7-1) win on Sunday.
The world No 5 sent down 10 aces in a match that lasted an hour and 46 minutes to set up a last-16 tie with Lorenzo Musetti.
“It’s an honour to have another milestone, to have another record broken. There’s always something on the line, pretty much every time I play and of course that motivates me to do well in the tournament,” Djokovic said on Sky Sports Tennis.
Musetti progressed past Felix Auger-Aliassime in a hard-fought 4-6 6-2 6-3 battle, but ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was knocked out by Sebastian Korda in 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 score.
Does Djokovic have level to get him over Grand Slam finishing line?
