Emma Raducanu raced into the second round of the Miami Open with a dominant 6-2 6-1 victory over Sayaka Ishii. The British number two won her first match since dealing with a stalker at the Dubai Open last month.
Raducanu started fast by claiming the opening two games before Ishii found her rhythm and levelled at 2-2. But the Briton reeled off four successive games to take the first set 6-2.
The 2021 US Open champion continued her dominance in the second set, extending her streak of successive games won to nine as her Japanese opponent, ranked 188th in the world, struggled in the Florida sun.
Ishii avoided a whitewash in second set by holding serve in the sixth game, before Raducanu took her first match point opportunity to claim victory.
05:26 PM GMT
More from Raducanu
“I think I was just so focused on every point and trying to compete. That was my main objective today. It’s nice to win in two sets in less than two and a half hours. I was really pleased to come through that.
“My opponent loves big ball striking and that would not have been the best way to play here. That would not have been the best way to play her. I was happy with how I played the match tactically as well.”
05:24 PM GMT
Match stats
Raducanu
Aces: 6
Double faults: 1
1st serve: 68 per cent
Winners: 16
Unforced errors: 13
Break points won: 5/6
Total points: 54
Ishii
Aces: 0
Double faults: 1
1st serve: 73 per cent
Winners: 8
Unforced errors: 24
Break points won: 1/1
Total points: 30
05:22 PM GMT
Raducanu reacts to a comfortable win
“I’m very pleased to have got through that, it’s not an easy first round, playing someone a bit younger and dangerous and in good form. I am really proud of how I competed today, it hasn’t been easy for me coming into this but I think I put out a really good performance.”
On taking on Emma Navarro in the second round:
“Yeah, it’s going to be an extremely challenging match. I think it’s a match where she is probably in better form. I think I can just go out and try and express myself and compete for every point. She’s a great person on the tour, it’s one of the people that we would like warm to and say hi.”
On playing in Miami:
“It’s really nice. I haven’t won a match here yet in my professional career but I just remember I have great memories from playing junior orange ball and I did really well two times. It’s a little bit different now and I am just so happy to be able to score a win in the professional tournament too.”
05:17 PM GMT
Raducanu beats Ishii 6-2, 6-1!
Frustration from Ishi, who has an easy forehand to get to a break point but she slams it into the net. She has not given Raducanu much of a game today, I am afraid. Another forehand booms long which gives Raducanu match point after just 64 minutes. And she takes it in very fitting style – by Ishii hitting the ball beyond the baseline for what seems like the 78th time this afternoon. Game, set and match for Raducanu, her first victory in Miami.
She was not pushed but she played well enough. Very few areas of concern from that but things will become significantly harder as she progresses.
05:12 PM GMT
Raducanu 6-2, 5-1 Ishii* (*denotes server)
Ishii serving to say in the match and is making a slightly better fist of this one. She pushes Raducanu, though, and Raducanu finds an extra gear to take it to 30-30.
A forehand winner gets Ishii to within a point of her first game for quite a while... and after a couple of deuces she gets it. Some consolation. The match is not over until it is over...
05:04 PM GMT
Raducanu* 6-2, 5-0 Ishii (*denotes server)
Raducanu’s service has been excellent in this match. Five aces so far, though her first double fault of the match as she is 40-0 up on serve. Ishii gets another but Raducanu goes to within one game of what has been a very comfortable match for her.
05:01 PM GMT
Raducanu 6-2, 4-0 Ishii* (*denotes server)
Ishii manages to stay in a point and win it at the start of her service game. Raducanu just sent a forehand slightly long. Trying to stop the rot as much as anything, having lost seven games in a row. A backhand goes long for Raducanu this time which gives Ishii some rare breathing room. Three consecutive errors bring Raducanu a second break point of the set...
Guess how Raducanu takes the game? Yes, another Ishii error, though Raducanu deserves some credit for it.
04:55 PM GMT
Raducanu* 6-2, 3-0 Ishii (*denotes server)
Raducanu is punishing Ishii now. A simple service game to love. You feel this match could be done and dusted within an hour of total playing time.
04:52 PM GMT
Raducanu 6-2, 2-0 Ishii* (*denotes server)
Further errors give Raducanu another break point and Ishii responds by sending her first serve about a couple of feet wide. Raducanu punishes a fairly tame second serve with a booming forehand winner down the line. Ishii in all sorts of trouble here, but a lot of that is coming from Raducanu’s play. A lot is also coming from her own errors.
04:49 PM GMT
Raducanu* 6-2, 1-0 Ishii (*denotes server)
A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it service game first up in the second set from ER. Ishii does not get a point and this match feels like it is going in one direction only. The encoraching shadow at the Miami Hard Rock Stadium is about to split the court exactly in half which feels very satisfying.
04:47 PM GMT
Raducanu growing into the games
Raducanu grew into her game in that set, starting out tentatively but introducing a bit more punch into the rallies as time wore on. This was a comfortable way to begin the tournament: 12 unforced errors from Ishii is way too many.
04:44 PM GMT
12 unforced errors from Ishii in that set
Just six from Raducanu, who hit three aces and nine winners.
04:42 PM GMT
Raducanu wins first set 6-2
A rare long rally is all set of for Ishii to take the point with a backhand drop shot but she fails to clear the net.. Raducanu did well to stay in the point and it worked out. 30-30 after Raducanu shovels a backhand wide. Not sure if the performance or the result is the most important thing for Raducanu here. Well, the result I guess, but how important is the performance?
A better, low backhand sets up break and set point for the Briton. Another long forehand from Ishii gives Raducanu the first set.
04:37 PM GMT
Set 1: Raducanu* 5-2 Ishii (*denotes server)
All a little too easy for Raducanu and the gulf in class (128 places between them in the rankings) is starting to show as she holds solidly to go within a game of the first set.
Not the most satisfying watch so far. The match is on Ishii’s racket as she winds up for these piledriving groundstrokes which tend to land very deep or not at all. Raducanu doing a steady job nevertheless, especially with her serve. I suspect that she and Platenik have spent a lot of time working on it in the past fortnight, and there’s a marked improvement on the second serve in particular.
04:34 PM GMT
Set 1: Raducanu 4-2 Ishii* (*denotes server)
The unforced errors creep back in for Ishii and Raducanu breaks to love to go 4-2 up. Ishii just seems unable to control her forehand and it is costing her. Not a very high-intensity contest so far, this one.
04:31 PM GMT
A new dawn or a false one?
There’ve been many new dawns – and false dawns – since Raducanu won the US Open. This is the latest: her first proper match with new coach Vlado Platenik, who was present in Indian Wells but had no chance to make a proper contribution. She’s been training in Miami ever since, and even turned off her Instagram for a few days! The opponent today is inexperienced but has a big, heavy forehand which could be the key. Will it hammer down Raducanu’s defences or cough up errors?
04:29 PM GMT
Set 1: Raducanu* 3-2 Ishii (*denotes server)
Raducanu slamming in some fine serves here, which is good to see. It has been a problem for her in the past. Ishii is not going away, though, and gets to 30-40 with a handy return right on the baseline that Raducanu cannot deal with. No worries, though, because the Briton puts in a wide, clean ace to go 3-2 up. She follows that with a big roar.
04:26 PM GMT
Set 1: Raducanu 2-2 Ishii* (*denotes server)
Fair to say that Ishii has settled into this game now. Has cut out the errors a little it and is now forcing Raducanu to do more, which was not the case early on. Not exactly a roaring crowd there at the moment. Still quite early in Miami, though. She holds her serve with Raducanu on 30 points.
04:21 PM GMT
Set 1: Raducanu* 2-1 Ishii (*denotes server)
Well, problems for Raducanu as her errors put her 0-40 down on her serve. Ishii then takes advantage by moving to the net and dinking the ball over the net with Raducanu at the baseline. A break to love and we are back on serve.
04:18 PM GMT
Set 1: Raducanu 2-0 Ishii* (*denotes server)
Fair to say that Ishii has not quite settled into this game yet, though we are but a few points in. Still, a nervy start and without much precision and a fair few hits beyond the baseline. Things get a little better but Raducanu snatches an early break point which she must fancy herself for. Nope. A big forehand from Ishii sees of the threat initially.
The Briton does not have to wait that long, though, as two errors from her opponent give her a 2-0 lead with the break.
04:13 PM GMT
Set 1: Raducanu* 1-0 Ishii (*denotes server)
Raducanu loses the first point as she backhands into the net but then reels off four in a row to take a comfortable first game.
04:10 PM GMT
Raducanu to serve first...
Ready, play!
04:05 PM GMT
Here we go...
We have the usual on-court spiel (“you must answer as soon as you buzz” etc) from the chair umpire but we are nearly ready to go.
04:01 PM GMT
Raducanu’s Miami Open history
2022 - First round
2023 - Second round
2024 - DNP
03:51 PM GMT
When is Raducanu due on court?
Roughly 4pm, though it may be a little bit after that...
03:51 PM GMT
Raducanu on Draper’s Indian Wells title
"I know how much work he's put in, how much he deserves it." ????
Emma Raducanu said she's so happy for Jack Draper to win his first Masters title ???? pic.twitter.com/To0xUte1SN
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) March 19, 2025
03:36 PM GMT
Sayaka Ishii’s recent results
These are all ITF W75 events, so below the main WTA and WTA Challenger events, as well as below the W100 tournaments in the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour. In those she reached the semi-finals of the ITF W75 event in Brisbane and the same in the second Trnava tournament.
February
5 - Beat Ma 2-6, 6-4, 63
6 - Beat Guo 6-7, 7-5, 6-4
7 - Lost to Inglis 6-4, 7-6
26 - Lost to Seidel 6-2, 7-6
March
4 - Beat Fett 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
6 - Beat Rosatello 6-3, 6-4
7 - Beat Jamrichova 6-3, 6-4
8 - Lost to Ryser 6-3, 7-3
03:13 PM GMT
Raducanu speaks about adapting to conditions
“I’ve struggled in Indian Wells, it was very windy the day I played and very jumpy. It was just like I found it hard to hit clean. So I’ve been just here trying to get used to the conditions, it has had some windy days but I guess I’ve been practising in the wind a bit more. The balls do get really fluffy here so it’s very different when they’re new compared to when they’re a bit used.
“A lot of the players have to deal with the same thing. Certain periods of the year suit better than others. It depends on game style, it depends on what kind of conditions you prefer. It’s hard. Especially with the balls, for wrists and shoulders. I think a lot of players are getting those niggles. For now there’s not a lot we can do about it.”
03:03 PM GMT
Raducanu’s recent results
February
4 - Lost to Vondrousova 6-3, 6-4
9 - Lost to Alexandrova 6-3, 7-5
16 - Beat Sakkari 6-4, 6-2
18 - Lost to Muchova 7-6, 6-4
March
6 - Lost to Uchijima 6-3, 6-2
02:43 PM GMT
Good afternoon
Welcome to our live coverage of Emma Raducanu against Sayaka Ishii in the first round of the Miami Open. The 2021 US Open winner is looking to kickstart her season. It is fair to say that it has not been the most encouraging so far, though there have been a few bright points.
In fact, you could make an argument that she is looking to kickstart her career since that astonishing victory more than three years ago. In fairness she has been plagued by numerous issues mostly related to injury and has also rattled through a fair few coaches in that time, too.
Since her run to the third round at the Australian Open – where she was dumped out 6-1, 6-0 by Iga Swiatek – she has won just once from six matches. That was a promising victory against former top-10 player Maria Sakkari in Dubai, but that is as about as good as it has been. Indian Wells lasted just one round, a 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Moyuka Uchijima, who is ranked 53 in the world.
Today’s match should be an easier prospect, though things do not always work out that way in sport, especially in women’s tennis. Raducanu’s opponent is ranked 188th (128 places below the Briton) in the world and has little experience of the game at the very highest level. She is only a teenager, though.
What do the bookies say? Well, Raducanu is 2/9 on for this with Ishii at 10/3. That tells you everything you need to know.
