The trio were part of the 11 players initially paired with qualifiers for their opening matches at the WTA 1000 event in California. However, with the qualifying event concluded, the schedule is now set to proceed.
Raducanu, currently ranked No. 250 and granted a wildcard entry into the main draw, is set to face world No. 96 Rebeka Masarova on Thursday evening at the Tennis Garden. The order of play for day two is yet to be finalized.
This encounter marks the first top-level meeting between Raducanu and Masarova, both of whom have faced challenges in securing victories thus far in 2024.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, holds a 3-4 record this season, while her Spanish opponent has only clinched one match on the WTA Tour, which occurred at the Australian Open.
Raducanu’s last appearance was a straight-set defeat against Analina Kalinina in the opening round of the Qatar Open.
Besides seeking a morale-boosting win, Raducanu is eager to accumulate ranking points, having slipped to No. 336 in the Live Rankings after dropping 120 points following her fourth-round run last year.
Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, utilizing her protected ranking to enter the main draw, was initially slated to face a qualifier. Her first opponent will be veteran Sara Errani, with the winner set to take on 14th seed Liudmila Samsonova.
Errani, the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2012, poses a challenge as she currently holds the No. 65 ranking and reached the quarterfinals of the Transylvania Open in early February.
Osaka, still on her journey back after giving birth in 2023, recently took an extended break after skipping the Dubai Tennis Championship following her quarterfinal run at the Qatar Open. This performance saw her climb from No. 747 to No. 287 in the WTA Rankings.
Furthermore, tennis legend Venus Williams has received a wildcard entry and will face Nao Hibino in her first match since the 2023 US Open in August. The winner of the Williams-Hibino match will face the 15th-seeded Veronika Kudermetova.
