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Emma Raducanu Wins at Indian Wells in Uniqlo Debut

Emma Raducanu won her first match at Indian Wells in style with the help of Uniqlo.
Pat Benson|
Emma Raducanu made her Uniqlo debut with a win at Indian Wells.
Emma Raducanu made her Uniqlo debut with a win at Indian Wells. | Uniqlo

Following her early exit from the Dubai Tennis Championships last month, Emma Raducanu has faced heightened criticism. Everything from her coaching change to injury history to splashy Uniqlo deal came under scrutiny from tennis fans.

Despite the negative headlines, Raducanu made a statement victory over qualifier Anastasia Zakharova today in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells: 6-1, 6-3.

Raducanu made her official Uniqlo debut in a light blue tennis skirt with red detailing, complete with her signature visor and sweatbands.

The windy conditions definitely played a factor in both players' service games. Raducanu landed two aces and three double faults. She landed 83% of her first serves, winning points on 35% and 100% of her first and second serves, respectively.

Meanwhile, Zakharova hit zero aces and one double fault. She landed 89% of her first serves, winning points on 20% and 50% of her first and second serves, respectively. Raducanu was 5/8 on break points, while Zakharova was 1/3 in break point opportunities.

Raducanu wrapped up the first set in a tidy 32 minutes, while Zakharova was able to extend the second set to 50 minutes. Overall, it was a dominant display from Raducanu.

Raducanu was all smiles in her on-court interview with Sky Sports. "It feels incredible to see the British flags, to hear support from Chinese, Romania, English, American," Raducanu said in reference to her heritage and fanbase.

"It's amazing. I just feel so grateful to get this level of support playing out here in the States. It's somewhere I've always enjoyed playing. So to be coming here and feeling this amount of love, it really helps me when I'm playing and competing. Yeah, just excited to get another couple days of it."

Raducanu is currently the WTA world No. 24 with a singles record of 7-6 and zero titles. However, her next match will be significantly tougher when she faces either Anna Blinkova or the sixth-seeded Amanda Anisimova on Sunday, March 8.

But then again, Raducanu defeated Anisimova twice last year (at the Australian Open and the Miami Open) before losing to her at the National Bank Open. Meanwhile, Zakharova will try to qualify for the Miami Open later this month.

The 2026 BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells runs through March 15. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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