By Ros Satar
- Emma Raducanu def Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-1 2-6 6-4
- Faces the World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round
INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA, USA – Emma Raducanu has looked stronger with each round, but faces the ultimate test of Iga Swiatek in the fourth round.
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Emma Raducanu def Beatriz Haddad Maia [13] 6-1 2-6 6-4
In what proved to be Emma Raducanu’s toughest test so far, she came through a tough three set battle against Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia. The first set saw a quick start from the Brit as she went 3-0 up before the first change over, breaking the Brazilian once more at the end of the set before winning it on her third set point.
Haddad Maia flipped the script in the second set, mirroring Raducanu’s dominance in the early stages to romp away with the second set. The third set was an altogether more cagey affair with both players having chances to break before treating everyone to a lesson in how to do overheads for an outrageous point, that eventually went Raducanu’s way.
The break fell for Raducanu, but trying to get over the line in the decider proved tricky as her first two match points on the Brazilian’s serve were saved. It took two more for Raducanu to advance to the fourth round for the first time.
Emma Raducanu v Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 1-0
| Emma Raducanu v Iga Swiatek [1] | H2H: Swiatek leads 1-0 |
| WTA Indian Wells | California, USA |
| Hard (O) | Prize Money: $96,955 |
| Second night match on Stadium 1, not before 8pm (3am GMT, Wednesday) | Amazon Prime Video <– Sign up for trial |
Tale of the Tape – Key Stats (Hard Court 2023)
| H2H: | Emma Raducanu (WR 77) | Iga Swiatek (WR 1) |
| Tournament Previous Best | R3 (2022) | Title (2022) |
| 1st Serve Return Points Won % | 38.4 | 46.8 |
| Return Points Won % | 47.0 | 54.8 |
| Break Point Conversion % | 44.3 | 60.7 |
| Break Points Saved % | 57.6 | 35.7 |
| Total Points Won % | 53.8 | 60.4 |
As you might expect, Iga Swiatek’s consistency over the year means she outstrips Raducanu on all but one stat – break points saved.
Playing Styles & Prediction
The good news is that Raducanu had none of the nasty coughing and hacking we saw on the first match, and the wrist seemed to hold up in a match of ferocious hitting over the distance. The bad news is she is coming up against one of the most consistent players the tour has seen in a long while.
We can expect more battering of the covers off the little yellow fluffies, as both like to play an aggressive game with a lot of attacking tennis on show. Raducanu did impress in marching forward at times to knife winners at the net and Swiatek is no slouch on a doubles court, so we should be up for a competitive match.
Raducanu stayed within a break of Swiatek in their last encounter, and the Pole was pushed just her second tie-break of the season against Bianca Andreescu and has yet to play a three setter this year. It seems to be feast or famine for Swiatek – winning or losing in straights. But the best that Raducanu can hope for is to put her under pressure and make her go the distance for the first time in 2023.
Prediction: Swiatek in three sets.
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