Raducanu given Indian Wells wild card

LOS ANGELES : Briton Emma Raducanu has been handed a wild card for next month's WTA 1000 event at Indian Wells, tournament organisers announced on Thursday.

Raducanu, who became an international sensation when at 18 years old she won the 2021 U.S. Open as a qualifier, struggled with injuries and inconsistent play last year and has seen her world ranking plummet to 80.

Last month she suffered an ankle injury in Auckland before falling to American teenager Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open.

Raducanu was troubled by pain in her abs early on against Gauff but bounced back to force a second set tiebreak in a match that offered fans a tantalising glimpse into the future of women's tennis.