“It takes a minute to find routines and what works for you,” she said of figuring out the ups and downs of the tour. “I’m just trying to enjoy things wherever we are—finding breakfast spots or places to practice that I like.”
In the desert this week, that includes frequent trips to a favorite coffee spot near her hotel, where she fuels up with chai before heading to the grounds.
Next comes another tough test. Krueger faces No. 9 seed Elina Svitolina for a place in the fourth round. In their only previous meeting, Ukraine’s Svitolina ended Krueger’s 2025 Indian Wells campaign in the second round.
“We had a battle last year, so I’m looking forward to that,” she said.
For now, though, Krueger is keeping her goals simple.
“I’m trying to take it one tournament at a time and focus on what I’m doing on the practice court,” she said. “If I do that, I believe it’ll translate.”
In the desert, at least this week, the progress has looked very real.
