Emma Raducanu cruises into Miami Open last-16 after dominant showing against McCartney Kessler sees Brit claim the first set in less than 30 minutes – before American retires

For the first time in a long while, lady luck is smiling on Emma Raducanu. The 22-year-old is into the fourth round of the Miami Open after her opponent McCartney Kessler retired trailing 6-1, 3-0.

On Monday Raducanu will take on the winner of Sunday’s late match between her close friend Amanda Anisimova and 17-year-old Indian Wells champion Mirra Andreeva. Either would be a tough assignment but if Raducanu can get through another round it will be the first time she has won four matches at one event since her 2021 US Open title.

Up until her arrival in Florida it had been a wretched year for Raducanu. She made the third round of the Australian Open despite a clearly malfunctioning serve. Then her coach Nick Cavaday stepped down for health reasons and six defeats in seven matches followed.

There was the stalking trauma in the middle east and when, on the eve of her first match in Miami, she split with coach Vlado Platenik it felt like her season was descending into chaos.

But that first round against wildcard Sayaka Ishii was the plumbest of draws and that 6-2, 6-1 victory has been enough to get her juices flowing.

The second-round win over No8 seed Emma Navarro contained some of Raducanu’s best tennis since last year’s Wimbledon. And then last night she was handed her next stroke of fortune as one of the season’s in-from players was hampered by a lower back injury.

As well as some good fortune, there is a sense that Raducanu’s mind has been freed up by the premature jettisoning of Platenik. 

She has ‘big sister’ figure Jane O’Donoghue here and Mark Petchey helping out between Tennis Channel shifts. It is all very on the hoof and casual.

‘It’s a different approach this week,’ said the world No60. ‘Five minutes before the match, I was playing spike ball with the team. It helps me relax. When I’m playing my best tennis I’m really expressing my personality.

‘I’d say I’m a bit of a free spirit so I don’t like restrictions or being told what to do. When I’m really authentic, that’s when I play my best.’

That comment about not enjoying being told what to do feels pointed. It is not sustainable to continue without a proper full-time coach but for this fortnight alone it seems to be a winning formula.

When Raducanu talks of playing her best tennis when she is relaxed, the most accurate bellwether is the forehand. When she is tense or tight there is a tendency to push the ball in. But against Navarro and Kessler, and during her 2021 US Open title run, Raducanu whips through the ball with a loose arm and her game is elevated dramatically.

Even accounting for Kessler’s physical state – which really did not look to bad to the naked eye – this was a formidable display from Raducanu.

Raducanu made Kessler, a player who beat Coco Gauff this year, look one-paced and clumsy. When the American landed one of her big forehands she was in business but Raducanu varied the spin and depth to keep her off kilter.

The Kessler second serve looks a weak area and that played into the strength of Raducanu as she won 79 per cent of points on her opponent’s second delivery.

Her serve, such a problem in Melbourne and beyond, has been excellent this fortnight. In one game she produced three aces in succession.

Assessing her own performance, Raducanu said: ‘From the first point I was putting pressure on her serve, I was just imposing myself and my game.

‘After the match with Emma (Navarro), I was watching the highlights and it was pretty outrageous. Some of the court coverage from Emma and then myself… I took a lot of confidence from that, and to be playing three hours in the heat and then bounce back the way I have today and feeling pretty good in my body – I’m really proud of myself, my team, the work that we’ve been putting in and the kind of environment we’re building.’