Emma Raducanu goes down to Moyuka Uchijima on return to action

Emma Raducanu lost 6-3 6-2 to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima on her return to action in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.

Raducanu was playing for the first time since dealing with a stalker at the Dubai Open last month.

The former US Open champion, 22, is receiving extra security in California after the man was able to approach her twice while she was alone.

Raducanu – who had been left cowering behind the umpire’s chair in tears after receiving repeated unwanted attention from a “fixated” man before and during her second-round match against Karolina Muchova in Dubai – made a positive start against Uchijima.

However, after taking an early break chance in the opening game to hold for a 2-0 lead, Raducanu seemed to struggle in the blustery conditions.

Uchijima soon reeled off four games in a row after twice breaking back.

Raducanu, though, dug in to win the seventh game with another break to love, only to then be unable to hold again and trail 3-5.

Uchijima kept the pressure on and secured a first set point when Raducanu sent a return long.

Raducanu – starting a trial period with Slovakian coach Vladimir Platenik – was moving freely enough at the start of the second set, but soon found herself facing another couple of break points, which Uchijima eventually converted.

Despite Raducanu coming to the net, Uchijima’s power proved the difference as another big forehand saw the world number 52 open up a 2-0 advantage.

Raducanu saved a break point in the next game with a powerful return of her own, but Uchijima then held to lead 3-1.

After a hold, Raducanu forced a couple of break-back opportunities, but a forehand into the net from the 22-year-old saw Uchijima close out to move 4-2 ahead.

Uchijima kept on the front foot, taking a 40-love lead before a double fault from Raducanu left the Japanese player serving for the match.

Raducanu looked drained as another wayward shot gave Uchijima match point, which she converted following another long return.

“It was just a very difficult match for me,” Raducanu said afterwards in a press conference.

“I think it was tough conditions, difficult ball from my opponent. I tried to be aggressive, I tried to make the ball, but I guess it didn’t work today.

“I had great support around me. I was feeling pretty good. I think today was just a bit of a curveball, but I guess I am just going to move on.”

“I didn’t have what happened in Dubai in my head at all today,” she said. “If anything, (it was) like a bit of a lack of preparation on the tennis court, playing someone who played pretty good in these conditions, extremely awkward in the wind here.

“But I think it depends what sorts of frame of mind you are in. I think all the players will say, if they are feeling good, it’s great. If they are not, it can be more difficult and challenging.

“You have to just overcome whatever hurdles that come your way and just keep going forward.”

Raducanu has earned just one victory since the departure of former coach Nick Cavaday, who stood down for health reasons following the Australian Open in January, but is looking ahead to working with Platenik.

“It is good that I have someone who is very experienced here, and we will see how the work goes and how we get on as well on and off the court and the methods and everything,” she said.

“I am looking forward to seeing how it goes. I think I just need to keep trying to put one foot in front of the other and not look back too much.”

Raducanu added: “I think I will need to improve starting the point, I could improve being more aggressive and having a better quality of shot going forward into the court more.

“I think I could improve every area of my game, to be honest, after today’s performance.”

British number three Sonay Kartal booked her place in the second round with a 7-6 6-2 win over American qualifier Varvara Lepchenko.

The first set went on serve, Kartal forcing the only two break points and taking the tie-break 8-6.

She saved three break points on her own serve in the second set and broke the American twice to set up a second round contest with Brazilian 16th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia.

In the men’s tournament, Great Britain’s Jacob Fearnley slipped to defeat against Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, who came through 6-2 1-6 6-3.

Battling the windy conditions, the 18-year-old rising star had found himself 3-1 down in the deciding set, but then reeled off five straight games to earn his second ATP Masters 1000 match win and a first on a hard court.

Fonseca, who was given a wildcard entry, goes on to play British number one Jack Draper, the 13th seed.

Australian Nick Kyrgios suffered a fresh injury setback when he was forced to withdraw in the second set of his clash with Botic van de Zandschulp, who will meet five-time champion Novak Djokovic in the next round.

The Dutch player was leading 7-6 3-0 when Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, was forced to retire because of a right wrist injury.