Iga Swiatek aims to 'take care of tactics' against Emma Raducanu after beating Bianca Andreescu at Indian Wells
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Updated 14/03/2023 at 13:00 GMT
Iga Swiatek will face Emma Raducanu in the last 16 of Indian Wells. It will be the second meeting between the pair after they faced off on clay in Stuttgart last year. World No. 1 Swiatek won on that occasion and is looking forward to the challenge of facing Raducanu again. Raducanu produced an excellent display to beat Beatriz Haddad Maia while Swiatek won against Bianca Andreescu.
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Iga Swiatek says she will need to "take care of the tactics" when she faces Emma Raducanu in the fourth round of Indian Wells on Wednesday.
World No. 1 Swiatek continued the defence of her title with a 6-3 7-6(1) win over 2019 champion Bianca Andreescu.
She will next face Raducanu, who produced arguably her best display since winning the 2021 US Open as she beat Beatriz Haddad Maia in three sets.
It will be the second meeting between Raducanu and Swiatek, who won the last time they met on clay in Stuttgart in 2022.
“I think after Stuttgart, I just know how her shots feel on the racquet because before I haven’t even practised with her,” said Swiatek.
“So it helps that way, but on the other hand, it’s great because we are playing on a hard court, and there it was clay, but actually this surface is slower.
“So I think I have to really take care of the tactics anyway, and we’ll see. Honestly, like every day is different. The Stuttgart match was like almost a year ago. So a long time ago.”
Swiatek is bidding to become the first woman to defend the title at Indian Wells since Martina Navratilova in 1991.
She converted five of eight break points to claim victory over Andreescu.
"It was a really tight match, and I'm really happy that I actually played such a tight match because now I see how I can handle those situations after couple of matches that were kind of one way,” said Swiatek.
“I’m pretty happy I was solid most of the times at least, and that I could be recomposed in the tie-breaker because I really knew that I could get my focus up.”
Winning Indian Wells in 2019 was the start of Andreescu’s breakout year as she followed up with victory in Toronto and then the US Open.
She has not hit such heights since due to a variety of injuries but showed flashes of her talent against the world No. 1.
"I know that my game was definitely going to level up to hers," said Andreescu.
"I knew she was going to play well but I didn't know she was going to play that well, but that's what you have to expect from the world No.1.
"She literally does not miss. You could hit any shot in the world and she literally will not miss. She'll find a way to get to it, she'll put it where she exactly wants it."
Asked about her expectations of herself this year, Swiatek said: “My expectation is to just kind of do everything 100%, and kind of like focus on the process and not on the results.
“Also, you know, trust a little bit myself more with my tennis. And also remember that I don’t get like 100% influenced on what’s gonna happen during the match, so sometimes it’s easier when you feel like not everything is on your shoulders.”
Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina beat former Indian Wells winner Paula Badosa 6-3 7-5 while Marketa Vondrousova beat world No. 4 Ons Jabeur7-6(5) 6-4.
Jabeur is playing for the first time since undergoing minor surgery after the Australian Open.
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