It is back-to-back wins for the first time in 12 months for Emma Raducanu and the first since her comeback as she took down Dayana Yastremska albeit through walkover advancing 4-0 in the first set at Indian Wells.
Raducanu was facing a tough opponent in Yastremska who reached the Australian Open semi-final, but it was evident early on that she was not at the races physically and the Brit eased through the motions early.
Yastremska was affected by the conditions as she missed a volley to hand Raducanu break points early and she delivered with a drop shot to go 1-0 up. The former US Open champion thundered a forehand down the line to move 30-0 up in the second game, but she handed Yastremska a break point albeit she held under pressure at 2-0.
More pressure was applied to the Yastremska serve as she threw in a double fault and pushed a shot long to hand Raducanu two break points and after Yastremska netted she went 3-0 up. But Raducanu stormed through without dropping a point technically to the conclusion.
Yastremska doubled over with pain and the doctor was soon called at 15-0 up for the Ukrainian who couldn't continue from there and Raducanu was handed the win. She awaits the winner of Aryna Sabalenka and Peyton Stearns who play in the early hours of tomorrow morning European time in the night session. So far so good though for Raducanu in the desert.
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