Emma Raducanu was defeated by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The Pole beat the Brit 6-3, 6-1. Raducanu was sidelined with injuries and illness from the Australian Open. She defeated 13th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open before going down to Swiatek.
Raducanu had a three-game winning streak on the tour for only the second time since his historic title run at the 2021 Us Open. After the match, Emma said that her opponent was much better physically, and that Swiatek is way ahead of her at the moment.
In her post-match press conference, Raducanu said Swiatek is some distance ahead of her at the moment.
Emma Raducanu: “Iga Swiatek is much further ahead”
She explained: “Overall, I feel like physically she is much further ahead than I am at the moment.
I think I was able to stay competitive in the beginning of the first set, and then I think the first three games took, like, over 20 minutes. We were having some pretty epic rallies, and I think my defense got better. But that meant me running. I think in those conditions, it’s funny how I feel like you could be playing in, it could be two different matches, I feel.
I played her in Stuttgart indoors, fast, clay, and I played her outdoor heavy at night on these courts. Yeah, it was, for me, I felt like it was two different matches, like there, indoors, ball doesn’t move around in the wind, it just goes through.
Here, ball’s moving a bit, you need to be in position.” The number one in the world Iga Swiatek literally left only the crumbs to her opponent Emma Raducanu, in what many considered the day’s match of the women’s round of 16.
The British, winner of the US Open 2021, tried but appeared very far from the current dominatrix of the women’s Tour. At the press conference, the tennis player appeared very smiling and recounted her impressions: “The first set was very tight, I’m happy I was solid in the important moments of the match.
Then at the start of the second set I had a positive streak of 8 points. I gained great confidence and found energy and self-confidence.”
