Emma Raducanu details warnings from everyone as Brit bids to defy the odds at Indian Wells

Emma Raducanu opens her Indian Wells campaign on Friday against Caroline Garcia. It will be her first match since retiring injured to Daria Saville in what was the longest WTA match of the season so far in Guadalajara last month. The world No 13 is now up for the challenge of facing the in-form Frenchwoman after admitting she was warned over competing this week.

Raducanu is hoping to go further in Indian Wells this year after receiving a first-round bye in 2021 and losing in the second round to then-world No 100 Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

At the time, the postponed BNP Paribas Open was her first tournament after winning the US Open as a qualifier.

But the 19-year-old has been hit with injury woes and issues since first testing positive for Covid over the off-season which forced her to miss three weeks of pre-season preparation.

She then crashed out of the Australian Open in the second round after suffering with blistering so severe that members of her team warned her not to play.

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And Raducanu will be ignoring another warning by competing in Indian Wells, as the 19-year-old is feeling ready to return to the court after more recent injuries.

The Bromley teenager pulled out of her opening Abierto Akron Zapopan match against Saville (nee Gavrilova) in the third set after suffering what appeared to be a hip injury.

She then withdrew from the Monterrey Open held the week after, citing a left leg injury, and has admitted she was told she wouldn't be ready in time for Indian Wells.

"It's a bit of a bonus for me," the US Open champion said after arriving in the Californian desert.

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