Raducanu grabs first match-win at Indian Wells; Riske pulls off comeback over Muguruza

Reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu picked up her first career victory at the BNP Paribas Open, overcoming former World No.4 Caroline Garcia 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 to advance into the third round.

In the first career meeting between the two, No.11 seed Raducanu of Great Britain held off France's Garcia in 1 hour and 31 minutes, setting up a third-round clash with Petra Martic of Croatia.

More from Friday: Halep, Swiatek battle into Round 3 in Indian Wells

Back to winning ways: Raducanu, who pulled off a stunning run to her first Grand Slam title as a qualifier in New York last season, lost in her BNP Paribas Open tournament debut last October, when she fell to then-World No.100 Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the second round after a first-round bye.

Raducanu, 19, had won only one match this season coming into the desert, while suffering three 2022 defeats. However, the Brit showed excellent form in the first and third sets against Garcia to pick up her second match-win of season.

Thoughts from Emma: "It was definitely a tough match to win," Raducanu said in her post-match press conference. "Caroline is a really tricky opponent because she is really aggressive and plays very quickly. As soon as I dropped my ball speed and pace, she took advantage of that in the second set. I'm just glad that I managed to adjust for the third. 

"I feel like today I worked out pretty well that I was taking pace off the ball, I was playing too much to one side or the middle in the second [set]. I kind of reassessed. In the third set I picked my ball speed back up, I was spreading the play more. I think that's probably one of my strengths, just working things out as they go along."

By the numbers: In only her 11th career main draw at tour-level, Raducanu pulled off the three-set victory by converting four of her seven break points. Raducanu also won 70 percent of her first-service points, while Garcia only won 55 percent of points behind her first delivery.

Garcia, currently ranked No.66, reached the Sydney quarterfinals earlier this season and the Lyon semifinals in her most recent event. But she was unable to complete the upset of Raducanu, and the Frenchwoman has now lost her past 12 matches against Top 20 opposition.

Key moments: Raducanu charged through the opening frame, saving all four break points she faced in that set. But Garcia came back from an early break down in the second set, winning entertaining rallies on game points down the stretch to level the clash.

However, Raducanu regrouped in the decider, triumphing in a gripping rally on break point to take an early 2-0 lead. Raducanu notched an easy break to take full command at 5-1, and the British teen stylishly served out the match at love to grab the win.

Tauson grabs third-round spot in tournament debut

Another 19-year-old, Clara Tauson of Denmark, joined Raducanu in the third round. In her BNP Paribas Open debut, No.29 seed Tauson eased past Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-4, 6-3 in 1 hour and 36 minutes.

Haddad Maia is having a strong season in all disciplines, coming off of a run to the Monterrey semifinals in singles and reaching her maiden Grand Slam final in women's doubles at this year's Australian Open.

However, powerful Dane Tauson had the Brazilian's number in their first meeting, winning 82 percent of her first-serve points and breaking serve six times. Haddad Maia was also undone by nine double faults.

Tauson will now face No.3 seed Iga Swiatek in an eye-catching third-rounder.

Riske clinches comeback win over Muguruza

American Alison Riske executed a furious second-round comeback win on home soil Friday, upsetting No.8 seed Garbiñe Muguruza of Spain 0-6, 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 33 minutes. Riske won 12 of the last 13 games of the match.

With her victory over the two-time Indian Wells quarterfinalist Muguruza, the 53rd-ranked Riske notched the 10th Top 10 win of her career and her first against a member of that echelon since 2019.

Highlights: Riske def. Muguruza

It is also a key breakthrough at the WTA 1000 event for Riske, who is now into the Indian Wells third round for the first time in her eight main-draw appearances at the tournament.

"This was a much more rewarding win in the fashion that I did it, over had it been an easy two-setter," Riske said afterward. "I could have easily checked out and been out of there in 30 minutes, really. So I am very proud of that fact. ... It's never over till it's over."

Muguruza was in complete control, winning the first nine games for a 6-0, 3-0 lead. The tables completely turned, however, as Riske suddenly knocked off eight games in a row. That stretch saw the American steal the second set and go up by a break at 2-0 in the third.

Muguruza ended that run with a break for 2-1, but Riske erased three Muguruza game points in the next game, reclaiming her break lead at 3-1 with a volley winner. Riske earned another easy break for 5-1, then fired a backhand winner down the line on match point to attain victory.