Emma Raducanu has received a favorable opening matchup in Miami as the Briton is set to start against Wang Xiyu before potentially taking on this year’s Australian Open quarterfinalist Anna Kalinskaya.
Raducanu, who was granted a main draw wildcard into a WTA 1000 tournament in Miami, is set to kick off her third campaign at the tournament. On Sunday, the Miami main draw was released and the 22-year-old Raducanu learned that she would be facing world No. 52 Wang for the first time in her career.
While Wang is definitely not the worst of the matchups that Raducanu could have received, the 22-year-old Chinese is having a solid season. In eight tournaments played this year, Wang had two notable results as she reached the Auckland semifinal in the first week of the season before finishing as runner-up at a WTA 250 tournament in Austin earlier this month.
Wang may have had some notable results this season but Raducanu has also had some very promising performances and wins as the 2021 US Open champion will certainly enter the match feeling optimistic and positive about her chances.
Emma Raducanu© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
If Raducanu beats Wang, she will be meeting No. 22 seed Anna Kalinskaya in the Miami second round. Should that matchup happen, it would certainly be a very intriguing one as Raducanu is a Grand Slam champion while 25-year-old Kalinskaya just recently made her first Grand Slam quarterfinalist before also reaching her first WTA 1000 final in Dubai last month.
Raducanu looking for her first Miami win
When Raducanu enters the court to face Wang, she will be looking to clinch her first win in Miami. In 2022, Raducanu was seeded and had a first-round bye in Miami before Katerina Siniakova bounced her in the second round. Last year, Raducanu lost to Bianca Andreescu in the Miami first round.
But this year, Raducanu came to Miami feeling fully healthy – unlike last year, when she was battling wrist issues going into the tournament. Also, Raducanu is coming off a solid Indian Wells run, where she made the third round before falling short to Aryna Sabalenka.
Emma Raducanu© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
It will be interesting to see if Raducanu can earn her first Miami win this year and then potentially make some more noise.
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