Emma Raducanu revealed she decided only 20 minutes before the start of her Indian Wells opener that she would go out and play Danka Kovinic.
Last week, Raducanu pulled out of Austin due to tonsilitis.
Then in the days leading up to Indian Wells, Raducanu’s old wrist injury returned.
But on Thursday, Raducanu made the call to go out and she managed to beat Kovinic 6-2 6-3.
“I didn’t feel too good this morning. I’m just so happy with the way I fought and dealt with the circumstances. I just woke up feeling not great to be honest. I felt quite ill so I’m just happy to have played the match and then to win it despite how I felt today. Today before the match, I did not warm up. Two minutes before I was called I was sleeping in the treatment room so I’m just proud to have got out there and then won,” Raducanu told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.
Raducanu was coughing pretty much the entire match
On Thursday, it was evident that Raducanu was still feeling the effects of tonsilitis as she would often cough between the points.
Raducanu got off to a slow start to the match as Kovinic claimed an early break and a 2-0 break.
Down by an early break, Raducanu impressively recovered as she earned three breaks in a row and won six consecutive games to overturn the deficit and win the first set.
The second set started just like the first set as Kovinic claimed an early break and opened a 2-0 break.
Down by an early break, Raducanu again quickly recovered as she responded with back-to-back breaks to win four games in a row and take a 4-2 lead in the second set.
In the ninth game – when Kovinic was serving to stay in the match – Raducanu broke the Montenegrin again to complete a two-set win.
Raducanu plays next against Magda Linette.
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