Tennis Raducanu gives Sabalenka tough test
EMMA Raducanu went down fighting as she was beaten in straight sets by world number two Aryna Sabalenka in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
Raducanu pushed the Belarusian to the limit, battling back from a break down to level at 5-5 in the second set before ultimately falling to a 6-3, 7-5 defeat.
Despite her defeat, the 21-yearold Briton will take confidence from the way she consistently pressured her opponent before Sabalenka finally claimed victory on her fourth match point.
Raducanu had booked her thirdround berth after winning back-toback matches for the first time since her run to the last 16 of the same tournament last year.
Cameron Norrie also went out after a dramatic 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3 defeat to French veteran Gael Monfils.
The British number one led by a set and 3-0 before falling victim to a stirring comeback from the 37-year-old, who revelled in the support of the majority of the crowd.
Monfils clawed back to level in an extraordinary second set tiebreak in which he won a point with an underarm serve before clinching the set at the end of a stunning 31-stroke rally.
Monfils said in an on-court interview: “I’ve been working hard. Cam was playing very good tactically. He was better than me at the beginning.
“I had to change and think about it. I had to improve a couple things in my game to give him trouble and at the end I was happy that physically I could stay with him.”
Emma Raducanu plays a forehand during her defeat by Aryna Sabalenka at Indian Wells