–
–
A real sensation in New York, where, after qualifying, she had gone ten laps like a hurricane, relentlessly pushing all her opponents into two dry sets, Raducanu was expected as the new must-see star of the circuit in the California desert.
Despite-or because of-this new status, reinforced by its 22e place in the ranking which exempted her from 1is round, she totally missed her return to the courts, despite having had the favors of the predictions against the Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich (100e).
Contrary to the flamboyant tennis played at Flushing Meadows, the young player committed too many unforced errors on Indian Wells center court, facing an opponent who also understood that there was an opportunity to win.
Missing out on her first round, quickly dispatched by the 27-year-old Belarusian in search of a first WTA title, Raducanu then recovered by rediscovering this aggressiveness in the exchanges that had made her irresistible at the United States Open. United, until the final, won against the other revelation of the moment, the 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez.
The Briton thus broke away at the score 4-1, but Sasnovich hung on and was rewarded, his fighting spirit cutting through the dismay of his opponent announcing an inevitable setback.
Belarus will face 3e tour Simona Halep (17e). The Romanian, who has already won in the Californian desert in 2015, started her tournament perfectly, getting rid of the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk 7-6 (6/2), 6-1.
Among the other favorites, Iga Swiątek, 4e world player, beat Croatian Petra Martic 6-1, 6-3. The winner of Roland-Garros in 2020 is one of the favorites of the competition in the absence of Australian Ashley Barty (N.1) and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (N.2).
The Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, semi-finalist of the last United States Open and winner of the Chicago tournament just before, by winning in the final against the French Alizé Cornet, meanwhile won against the Czech Tereza Martincova 6-2, 7-5.
Finally, the Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, winner twice in 2012 and 2016, took advantage of the abandonment of the Polish Magda Linette (7-5, 3-0) to qualify.
–
