Emma Raducanu: Former US Open champion stuns Emma Navarro at Miami Open

Emma Raducanu produced an inspired performance to upset American eighth seed Emma Navarro 7-6 (8-6) 2-6 7-6 (7-3) in a titanic epic second-round contest at the Miami Open on Friday.

Raducanu, playing at the Miami Open having ended her trial with coach Vladimir Platenik after only two weeks, breezed through her opening match against Sayaka Ishii on Wednesday, having exited Indian Wells in the first round earlier this month.

Ahead of her match with American eighth seed Navarro, Raducanu was seen hitting with Mark Petchey. The former coach of Andy Murray was also in her box for the clash which lasted two hours and 53 minutes.

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Speaking to Sky Sports' Laura Robson, Raducanu said: "I'm really proud of how I managed to find a third wind. I was absolutely exhausted in the second set and thought my legs were going to stop.

"In the third set I used a lot of emotion. I've gone through a lot and told myself I'd been through too much to leave it to her. I just fought every single point. I was going to take it like every point depended on it."

She added: "That was number one [win of the year] because Emma is a top-10 opponent. I haven't beaten a top-10 opponent this year. That's my first one and she made me work so hard for every single point. I don't think the whole match was pretty but I had to fight, I had to scrap, I had to be aggressive. There's no way I was going to beat her by trying to out-rally her."

Raducanu came out striking the ball clean against Navarro, who reached the semi-finals of the US Open, and after repelling two set points in the tie-breaker, she snatched the opener to continue her resurgence in form.

The former British No 1 was unable to continue her attacking gameplan, though, with Navarro responding in fine style to seal a double break on her way to a 5-2 lead in the second set as a tiring Raducanu lost her intensity.

The American easily served out to take the second set 6-2 in 37 minutes and Raducanu, who had appeared close to cramping up, needed ice on her legs and a medical timeout for blisters before the start of the deciding set.

After looking down and out when trailing 3-1, the 22-year-old rediscovered her energy to win four games in a row, although she was unable to serve out the match.

But Raducanu struck again to send a tension-filled contest into a deciding set tie-break which she dominated to record her first top-10 win on a hardcourt. She will play McCartney Kessler next after the American beat 30th seed Linda Noskova 2-6 7-5 7-6 (7-4).

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Tale of the Tape

Annabel Croft on Sky Sports Tennis

"She played such a fabulous match. Forget the second set when she completely lost energy. She had her feet taped up and blister problems and really couldn't move but what a win. I just felt she was braver, more aggressive, she returned exceptionally well at some really key moments. She really strung it together and came up with the goods when she needed it the most.

"That is going to be a massive confidence booster for her. A huge win!"

Delgado: Petchey is someone familiar to Raducanu

Jamie Delgado, who is currently coaching former world No 3 Grigor Dimitrov, spoke about Raducanu's coaching situation.

She is being helped by mentor Jane O'Donoghue and Lawn Tennis Association coach Colin Beecher after ending her trial period with experienced Slovakian Platenik.

Delgado told Sky Sports Tennis: "It's never the best time to change a coach or change a set up during a tournament. You want that in the off-season so you can get to know the person a bit but it clearly didn't work out with Vladimir Platenik the last couple of weeks and Mark at least is someone familiar to her. He's helped her in the past a few times when she was younger and a bit older, so that could be a nice initial feeling for her to get some form back.

"She's got people around her that she likes, that she trusts, and she's played very good tennis with these people around her before so that can spread confidence. I'm sure having got through that first match she's had a big lift the last couple of days."

Speaking about what Raducanu will be looking for in a coach, Delgado added: "She'll be after somebody with that consistency and familiarity in the long-term. I don't know what Mark's commitments are with TV, he's obviously busy as well. It's something that's worked for her in the past and in the short-term it could help her this week."

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