The pattern continues: Emma Raducanu faces another daunting draw in a major 2025 tournament. Following the Australian Open and Indian Wells, the Miami Open presents a formidable challenge. Even former British number one Laura Robson acknowledges the difficulty: “it’s a tough draw.” Raducanu’s path begins against Japan’s Sayaka Ishii, with a potential second-round clash against tenth-seeded Emma Navarro looming. While the ‘battle of the Emmas’ is highly anticipated, the immediate question is: can Raducanu overcome Ishii in her opening match?
Emma Raducanu vs Sayaka Ishii: Preview
Emma Raducanu’s best performance in this season came at the AO where she reached the third round. Apart from that, she made early exits from each of her tournaments in 2025. She will be entering this contest following her 3-6,2-6 defeat to the number 53, Moyuka Uchijima (JPN). After her defeat, Raducanu admitted, “It was just a very difficult match for me.” Now, the question is: Can Raducanu put up a strong performance against the other Japanese player in Miami?
Sep 6, 2021; Flushing, NY, USA; Emma Raducanu of the United Kingdom hits to Shelby Rogers of the USA on day eight of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Well, Sayaka Ishii is mostly active on the ITF level and has played only a handful of matches on the Tour level this season. Ishii will be entering this contest following her 2-6,6(5)-7 defeat to Germany’s Ella Seidel in the R32 of the W75 Trnava.
Raducanu vs Ishii: Head-to-Head
Emma Raducanu has never faced Sayaka Ishii in her career before. Currently, their H2H record is 0-0.
Prediction: Raducanu will win this match in straight sets
Despite having a poor record this season, I’m backing Emma Raducanu to win this contest. Reasons? Well, she is a former US Open champion and Raducanu has a big fan base here. So, this support, along with her comparatively higher experience of playing at the bigger stages of the game, will help her start this match confidently. If Raducanu gets the grip of this match right from the start, then it’d be very difficult for Ishii to get back in this contest. But would that be enough?
Emma Raducanu is currently ranked 60th in the world and she has a win-loss record of 3-6 in this season. If she performs well in this tournament, then she could yet again make it inside the Top 50. On the other hand, according to the WTA’s official website, Sayaka Ishii (188) has an overall win-loss record of 10-6 in 2025 (considering all the levels).
Talking about their playing styles, the 19-year-old Japanese tennis player is known for her agility and incredible court coverage. However, her biggest weakness is she lacks the power to hit powerful winners, and this is where players like Emma Raducanu could get an advantage over her.
Emma Raducanu‘s playing style is characterized by a strong backhand, a potent serve, and aggressive court coverage. She has an incredible ability to take the ball early and hit hard down the line, particularly on her backhand. Other than that, she is also known for her impressive tactical acumen and her ability to play offensively even after missing a first serve.
Considering all these aspects, I feel it’d be really tough for Ishii to beat Raducanu on this surface.
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