Photo by Carmen Mandato / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu barely broke a sweat as she brushed aside Japanese wildcard Sayaka Ishii 6-2 6-1 on Wednesday to reach the second round of the Miami Open.
Raducanu, who was ousted in the first round at Indian Wells, regained her footing against Ishii as she won 77 per cent of her first-serve points, fired down six aces and converted five of her six break point chances in the 65-minute match.
Up next for Britain's Raducanu will be American world number 10 Emma Navarro, who won a WTA 500 event in Mexico in early March for her second career title before losing in the third round at Indian Wells.
"It's going to be an extremely challenging match," Raducanu said during her on-court interview. "She's probably in better form, so I can go out and express myself and try and compete for every point."
In other women's action Belinda Bencic, fresh off a run to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells, faces Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska on Grandstand while twice Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka opens the evening session at Hard Rock Stadium against Ukrainian wild card Anhelina Kalinina.
On the men's side, Belgian David Goffin toughed out a 2-6 6-4 6-2 win over Australia's Aleksandar Vukic to set up a second-round meeting with second seed Carlos Alcaraz.
Frenchman Gael Monfils was up against Hungarian Fabian Marozsan while Australian Nick Kyrgios was set to cap the Hard Rock Stadium day session against American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald.
Carlos Alcaraz will miss the Madrid Open for the second consecutive year after withdrawing on Friday with a wrist injury, dealing another blow to the world number two's clay court preparations ahead of his French Open title defence.
Novak Djokovic is still working through the injury problems that forced him to miss recent tournaments in Miami and Monte Carlo and said on Friday that he will not feature at next week's Madrid Open, one of the last stops before the French Open.
Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has defended Jasprit Bumrah after the struggling pace spearhead went a fifth Indian Premier League match without a wicket in Thursday's seven-wicket defeat by Punjab Kings.
Iranian women's football players Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh thanked the Australian government on Friday for offering a "safe haven" and said they wished to resume their sporting careers after rebuilding their lives.
Ollie Watkins still has hope of making England's World Cup squad despite being dropped for last month's friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, with the Aston Villa forward saying all he can do in the last few weeks of the season is score goals.
Dubai Police, in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Interior, have arrested an Irish fugitive accused of involvement in an organised criminal group linked to international crimes in his home country.
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has met with His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, to discuss national priorities and the country’s continued development.