Emma Raducanu recognises her young career has been dogged by "back luck", but it is all worthwhile having experienced the "good fortune" of her US Open title win.
Raducanu, who is still only 20, won at Flushing Meadows as a qualifier in 2021 – a grand slam first in the Open Era.
However, the British number one has not been past the second round of a major since, with that victory over Leylah Fernandez in New York remaining her only final appearance at any WTA Tour event.
A succession of injuries have hampered Raducanu, who played only 34 matches in 2022 and had been restricted to just four this year ahead of the Indian Wells Open.
Raducanu has beaten Danka Kovinic and Magda Linette in straight sets in California, however, for her first back-to-back wins since the Korea Open in September – the last of those also coming against Linette.
Even in winning on Saturday, Raducanu required treatment for an apparent wrist injury, although she described the problem as "manageable".
It was put to the luckless Raducanu afterwards that she might be well served employing "somebody to sweep the whole area around you for black cats and stray ladders", yet she has come to terms with her misfortune.
She said with a smile: "Sometimes you wonder, like, how is this possible? But then very quickly I think you create your own luck.
"It works both ways. I won the US Open as well, and I think I also have to take the bad luck sometimes, because also good fortune has also come upon me.
"I think that I wouldn't trade that title for the world. I'm just prepared to take whatever it takes, knowing that I have that in the bank."
Asked about her mood after winning consecutive matches, Raducanu said: "I just feel good with the way I'm working with my team, not getting too overly pleased or too down.
"I'm just plodding away. I feel pretty good about how things are going."
Raducanu faces Beatriz Haddad Maia, the 13th seed, in round three.
Nadal facing difficult decision over French Open involvement
Rafael Nadal will do everything he can to play at the French Open this month, but he admits he has a decision to make on his involvement after crashing out of the Italian Open on Saturday.
Nadal – a 10-time champion in Rome – suffered a resounding 6-1 6-3 defeat against Hubert Hurkacz on the clay, the Pole producing a polished performance to halt his run in the second round.
The Spaniard has said he will likely call time on his glittering career at the end of the season, having been troubled by hip and abdominal injuries in recent years.
The 37-year-old was also beaten by Jiri Lehecka in the last 16 at the Madrid Open last month, and he acknowledges he is currently some way short of the level required to challenge for a record-extending 15th French Open title.
Speaking after Saturday's defeat, Nadal said: "The time has come to make a decision, in case I might not play Roland-Garros.
"One is to say, 'okay, I am not ready, I am not playing well enough'.
"Another is to accept how I am today and work the proper way to try to be in a different way in two weeks. If I have to say which side I lean towards, it's to try to play it and give my best.
"Physically I have some issues, but probably not enough to say no to playing in the most important event of my tennis career."
The year's second grand slam begins at Roland Garros on May 20, with the men's singles final taking place on June 9.
Medvedev and Osaka through with straight-sets wins at Italian Open
Daniil Medvedev and Noami Osaka both advanced at the Italian Open with straight-sets wins on Saturday, the former eliminating Britain's Jack Draper with a 7-5 6-4 success.
Second seed Medvedev – who won the Rome event last year – was tested by Draper, the world number four saving seven of 10 break points faced in a one-hour, 47-minute contest.
Draper was in the ascendency when he broke Medvedev's serve to make it 5-5 in the first set, but Medvedev hit straight back before serving out the opener.
The Russian stepped things up from there and raced into a 5-1 lead in the second set, one Draper was unable to overturn as Medvedev teed up a last-32 clash with Hamad Medjedovic for Sunday.
In the women's draw, four-time grand slam champion Osaka overcame 10th seed Daria Kasatkina in another impressive straight-sets triumph, two days after recording her first clay-court win over a top-20 opponent in Marta Kostyuk.
She eased to a 6-3 6-3 victory in Saturday's last-32 encounter and will now face China's Qinwen Zheng for a place in the quarter-finals on Monday.
Data Debrief: Osaka's new love for clay
Coming into this year's Italian Open, Osaka was 0-8 throughout her career against top-20 opponents on clay, but she has now recorded two such wins in a row for the very first time.
Nadal crashes out of Italian Open with straight-sets defeat to Hurkacz
Rafael Nadal is out of the Italian Open after he was defeated in straight sets by Hubert Hurkacz in Rome on Saturday.
Nadal is a 10-time Italian Open champion, but his chances of an 11th and likely final title in Rome were ended in ruthless fashion by Hurkacz, who dominated on his way to a comfortable 6-1 6-3 triumph.
While Nadal held in his first service game of the second-round match, Hurkacz quickly took over and broke his 37-year-old opponent twice as he controlled the opening set.
Nadal showed some resolve in the second set, but a break of his serve in the third game left him with an uphill battle.
World number nine Hurkacz was in charge, and it was a position of control he would not relinquish as he broke Nadal once more to clinch victory.
Hurkacz will now take on Tomas Martin Etcheverry as he bids to reach the fourth round for the maiden time in Rome. For Nadal, who has indicated he will retire after the 2024 season, this will not have been how he wished to bow out in Rome as he prepares for the start of the French Open later this month.
Data debrief
Hurkacz became just the third player to concede fewer than five games en route to victory over Nadal on clay at ATP level, along with Olivier Rochus (Mallorca round of 16 2002) and Gaston Gaudio (Hamburg round of 16 2003).
Hurkacz dominated his contest with Nadal, winning all eight of his service games and breaking the 22-time grand slam champion on four occasions as he eased into the fourth round.
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