INDIAN WELLS: Former world number one Andy Murray notched a milestone win and US Open champion Emma Raducanu made a victorious return from injury in a one-two punch for Britain here at the BNP Paribas Open on Friday.

Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion now ranked 88th in the world and playing on a wildcard invitation, rallied after a dismal first set to beat Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 1-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the first round.

Raducanu, seeded 11th, reached the women’s third round with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 victory over France’s Caroline Garcia.

Murray claimed the 700th ATP match win of his career.

“Reaching that number is a really, really good achievement,” said Murray, who is one of just four active players to hit the milestone after Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

In the early going, it didn’t look like a landmark day for Murray, who dropped the first set in just 28 minutes.

Unable to convert two early break points, Murray would eventually be broken at love four times before bearing down in the third set to seal the win.

It was another smidgen of revenge against the 106th-ranked Japanese player, who stunned Murray in the second round of the Australian Open before Murray turned the tables in the first round at Doha.

British qualifier Harriet Dart also advanced, with an impressive 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback over 12th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina.

In other women’s action, third-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland and former world number one Simona Halep won to reach the third round.

Swiatek beat Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina 5-7, 6-0, 6-1.

Halep defeated Eka­­t­erina Alexan­drova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

Halep next faces 16th-seeded US teenager Coco Gauff, who held on for a 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) victory over compatriot Claire Liu.

American Alison Riske shocked eighth-seeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain 0-6, 6-3, 6-1, winning 12 of the last 13 games.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2022