Murray survives another tense fight, Raducanu advances at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS (USA) – Former world number one Andy Murray made it through another tough match on Thursday after rallying after one set against Tomas Etcheverry and reaching the second round of the Indian Wells WTA and ATP Masters 1000 has.

The Brit, who is used to big breakaways this year, needed three hours and 12 minutes to beat the Argentine 6: 7 (5/7), 6: 1, 6: 4.

“Some of the matches I’ve played this year I didn’t deserve all of them,” said Murray, who won a five-setter win over more than five hours at the Australian Open and overcame eight match points in four games in Doha last month , before losing to Daniil Medvedev in the final.

Thursday bot A little less drama, but Murray, who returned to the top 40 after hip surgery in 2019, had to fend off two break points in game eight of the decider.

He needed five chances to earn the crucial break in the next game and finally converted when Etcheverry, who was in high demand after reaching the final in Santiago last week, made a double fault.

They got to match point after three hours and nine minutes, Murray missing his first chance when his attempt at a drop shot went wide. Three minutes later he rounded it off with an ace.

Murray improved to 7-0 in crucial sets that year and booked a meeting with 15th-seeded Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.

After injuries threatened his career, Murray, the holder of three Grand Slam titles and two Olympic gold medals, said he wanted to enjoy the final act of his career.

“I really want to make the most of these last few years that I have,” he said. “I want to continue, I still feel extremely motivated.”

Murray was among a string of former Grand Slam winners in the first round as the men’s and women’s 32 seeds – led by Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek – enjoyed byes.

2021 British US Open champion Emma Raducanu bounced back from a collapse in every set to beat Danka Kovinic 6-2, 6-3, avenging a second-round loss at the Australian Open 2022 against the Montenegrin while continuing her battle against various ailments that have slowed down her 2023 campaign.

“I’m glad I persevered,” said Raducanu, who ended her 2022 season early with a wrist problem and injured her ankle in her second game of 2023 in Auckland.

She retired from the WTA event in Austin last week with tonsillitis and pulled out of a pre-tournament show here when her wrist problems flared up.

But she said the litany of issues only made her more determined.

– Kokkinakis meets Alcaraz –

“I just love to compete,” said Raducanu. “I think having something that you’re going through gives you more incentive in a way.

“Like ‘OK,’ I need to be aggressive or dominate — there’s something you can really latch on to and use.”

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, who has had two knee and two foot surgeries and is now ranked No. 100 in the world, fired 17 winners in a 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 win over the Australian Qualifier Aleksandar Vukic

Austria’s Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open winner who was sidelined eight months after suffering a right wrist injury in 2021, took on France’s Adrian Mannarino in the night session – as 2017 US Open winner Sloane Stephens, faced 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.

In other games on Thursday, Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis, who is ranked at No. 94 in the world, booked a second-round clash with top seed Carlos Alcaraz in a 6-4, 6-1 win over US wildcard Brandon Get.

The American Ben Shelton defeated the Italian veteran Fabio Fognini 6:4, 6:1 and thus prepared a duel with the fourth-placed defending champion Taylor Fritz.