US Open champ Raducanu ousted in opening match at Indian Wells

 

Emma Raducanu crashed out of the WTA Indian Wells tournament in the second round, losing in her first match since her stunning US Open triumph to Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 6-4 on Friday.

Britain's Raducanu looked rusty in her first time back on the court since September 11 when the 18-year-old stunned the tennis world at the US Open by becoming the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title.

Raducanu swept past Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 to win the title at Flushing Meadows.

Raducanu won the first game of the opening set on Friday, but it was all Sasnovich after that in the first career meeting between the two.

The unseeded Sasnovich, playing her second match while Raducanu enjoyed a first-round bye, won three straight points to reach 40-0 in the final game then clinched the match when Raducanu hit a backhand long.

The Belarusian blasted one ace and won 67% of her first-serve points, taking advantage of Raducanu's soft second serve and inability to hit winners on easy shots.

Raducanu to take her time in search for new coach