Emma Raducanu Advances in Madrid Open

Emma Raducanu kicked off her Madrid Open journey with a hard-fought win against in-form Dutch player Suzan Lamens, defeating her 7-6 (4), 6-4 to progress to the second round.

In the three and a half years since her remarkable breakthrough, Raducanu has navigated the pressures and challenges that have followed her rise. There have been moments when success seemed within reach, but these were often short-lived, hindered by a string of difficult losses, injuries, or missteps.

Following her impressive quarter-final appearance in Miami, which marked her best performance since winning the US Open, Raducanu is focusing on maintaining her strong form and solidifying her place among the top players in tennis.

Despite facing a skilled opponent and struggling to find her best form, Raducanu’s resilience and adaptability shone through during her opening match on clay this season. She will face a tougher challenge in the next round against 24th seed Marta Kostyuk.

“Stepping into competition, especially on clay, is definitely different. I haven’t played many matches on this surface, so it feels somewhat unfamiliar,” remarked Raducanu. “I’m pleased with how I eased into the match against a strong opponent who has had great success on clay. Although I didn’t play my best, I felt I competed well.”

While most players are deep into their clay-court season, Raducanu chose a different route. After a busy schedule culminated with her reaching the Miami Open quarter-finals, she took a brief hiatus, opting for a 10-day training block in Los Angeles instead of participating in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Joined by Mark Petchey, her temporary coach during the Miami tournament, Raducanu received vocal support from him throughout her match at the Caja Mágica. Despite being the higher-ranked player, Raducanu knew she was up against a solid competitor in Lamens, who had recently gained momentum in her own career.