Emma Raducanu returned to clay with a determined 7-6 (4) 6-4 win over Suzan Lamens, kicking off her Madrid Open campaign with a composed performance against an in-form opponent.
Facing Lamens, ranked No. 73 and coming off a semifinal run in Rouen, Raducanu needed to draw deeply on her tactical awareness and mental grit. The Dutchwoman had dismantled Katie Boulter in the recent Billie Jean King Cup and brought that momentum into Madrid. She dictated early rallies with a heavy forehand and broke first to go up 3-2 in the opening set.
Raducanu responded instantly. She broke back, steadied her serve under pressure, and saved three break points at 4-4 with clean, aggressive hitting. In the tie-break, she seized control with a four-point streak, exploiting Lamens’ backhand and slowing the tempo with loopy returns that neutralized the Dutch player’s power.
The second set started poorly for the Brit. Lamens broke again and led 2-0. But Raducanu raised her level, breaking twice and smartly varying her shot selection to shift the momentum. She began to target Lamens’ weaker wing, forcing errors in crucial moments. At 5-4, Raducanu served out the match with confidence, closing her first clay-court win of the season in one hour and 49 minutes.
“Clay is still unfamiliar,” she said afterwards. “But I’m proud of how I adapted. I knew I had to be mentally sharp and compete hard.”
This marked Raducanu’s first win in Madrid since 2022. She skipped this month’s Billie Jean King Cup to train in Los Angeles. The 10-day block with coach Mark Petchey appears to be paying off. Petchey, who helped guide her run to the Miami quarterfinals, was once again courtside, offering encouragement.
While Raducanu, now ranked 49, didn’t produce her cleanest tennis, she made up for it with clever adjustments and strong decision-making. Her next test will be Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, seeded 24th, a player known for aggressive all-court play.
With limited experience on clay, Raducanu is still building rhythm. But this win showed she’s learning quickly and ready to scrap for every round.