Indian Wells

Watson run ended by Radwanska

ESPN staff

March 7, 2014

Highlights: Agnieszka Radwanska beats Heather Watson

Heather Watson's run at Indian Wells has been halted in the second round with defeat to Agnieszka Radwanska.

Second seed Radwanska secured a 6-4 6-3 victory with Watson managing to hold serve just twice in the match.

Watson went into the match with 15 victories this year, only one less than her entire tally from 2013. She had breezed through her first three matches at the tournament in straight sets, coming through two qualification matches and then beating Belinda Bencic in the opening round on Wednesday.

The result marks a third defeat for Watson in as many meetings with Radwanska, who comfortably saw off the Brit at Wimbledon in 2012 and at the Australian Open last year.

Third-seed Victoria Azarenka tumbled out in her first match in more than a month, falling 6-0 7-6(2) to American Lauren Davis.

Azarenka had been sidelined since the Australian Open because of a left foot injury that required her to wear a boot for several weeks.

The two-time Australian Open champion, hampered by nerve damage between her toes, limped visibly at times, had trouble serving, fell to her knees several times, broke a racket after double-faulting to fall behind 4-3 in the second set, and fought back tears.

"Basically, all I had was my fighting spirit," Azarenka said. "When I'm on the court, I try to give as much as I can, even on one leg. I try to do my best in tough situations. That's part of our job."

She isn't sure whether she'll try to play in the Sony Open in Florida in 10 days.

"I want to be pain-free because it's not the most fun to be out there like that," she added.

Most of the other second-round matches were routine. Sixth seed Simona Halep, seventh seed Jelena Jankovic, ninth seed Sara Errani and tenth seed Caroline Wozniacki were straight-set winners. Two-time tournament champion Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, seeded 29th, fell to American Varvara Lepchenko, 6-3 6-2.

Elsewhere, Aleksandra Wozniak beat Urszula Radwanska 6-2 6-0, with Ajla Tomljanovic topping Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-4 7-6(2).