Emma Raducanu vs Suzan Lamens LIVE: Raducanu wins in straight sets at the Madrid Open
Raducanu earned her first win of the clay-court season by beating Lamens 7-6 6-2 in the opening round
Emma Raducanu banished her Madrid Open demons of last year as she overcame Suzan Lamens in straight sets to kick off her clay campaign.
Raducanu had to recover from a break down in both sets to claim a 7-6 6-4 victory at the Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, showing grit 12 months on from first-round heartache in the same competition, where she suffered arguably her worst loss of 2024 to Maria Carle.
With “informal” coach Mark Petchey at courtside, the Brit survived three break points in the ninth game of the first set to force a tiebreak, which she won 7-4 to draw first blood in the Spanish capital.
With the pressure on Lamens, the Dutchwoman became increasingly frustrated as her service game deteriorated, something which was punished by Raducanu as she took the second set 6-4, booking her place in the second round and setting up a clash with Ukraine’s Mata Kostyuk, the 22nd seed.
Follow live updates from Raducanu’s clash with Lamens below:
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*Emma Raducanu 4-4 Suzan Lamens
Lamens starts on the front foot against Raducanu’s serve, with a cross-court forehand landing right on the line to give the Dutchwoman a 0-30 lead.
She goes long to allow Raducanu to chip away at the advantage, but the Brit produces a wayward shot to give Lamens two break points.
Raducanu is able to recover, however, with an extended rally at 30-40 going her way despite failing to dispatch Lamens with the overhand.
She forces deuce.
*Emma Raducanu 5-4 Suzan Lamens
Lamens fluffs a third break point and is eventually punished by Raducanu.
After hanging on by a thread, she secures a game point before Lamens gets too over her forehand and hits into the net.
After saving three break points, that’s a massive hold for Raducanu.
Emma Raducanu 5-5 Suzan Lamens*
Lamens could have easily been serving for the set here. Instead, she comes out having to ensure Raducanu doesn’t break to take the first, and is under enormous pressure.
But after losing the first point, the Dutchwoman recovers magnificently, with a fantastic backhand catching Raducanu with a change of pace.
With the score 40-15, Raducanu fires a backhand into space to give herself hope of a break, but a powerful Lamens serve ensures the hold.
A loud, feisty reaction from Lamens.
*Emma Raducanu 6-5 Suzan Lamens
A much more comfortable service display from Raducanu as she goes 40-15 up, forcing a high and long return off the back of her first serve.
She misses a first opportunity to hold with an unforced error with the backhand, but makes no mistake with the smash opportunity that arises in the following point.
One last chance for Raducanu to prevent a tiebreak.
Emma Raducanu 6-6 Suzan Lamens*
An aggressive, deep second serve catches Raducanu by surprise as Lamens takes the lead.
The Dutchwoman nets a backhand before firing an exquisite forehand down the line that goes far out of Raducanu’s reach.
Another deep effort from Raducanu goes long, before Lamens drills into open space to force the tiebreak.
TIEBREAK! Emma Raducanu 6-6 Suzan Lamens
Raducanu holds serve to start things off but Lamens responds with two of her own, smashing past the Brit to take a 2-1 lead in the tiebreak.
TIEBREAK! Emma Raducanu 6-6 Suzan Lamens
Big opportunity for Lamens to break serve as Raducanu fires a weak effort into the middle of the court, only for Lamens to respond with a wayward backhand.
Lamens then does manage to break, but it’s immediately met by a Raducanu response on defence, who picks up two points on Lamens’s serve to a passionate reaction.
Raducanu goes 4-3 up.
TIEBREAK! Emma Raducanu 6-6 Suzan Lamens
Raducanu’s done brilliantly here. Two more points on her own serve and she’s on the verge of taking the first set, sitting nicely at 6-3 in the tiebreak.
SET! Emma Raducanu 7-6 Suzan Lamens
LAMENS GOES WIDE! Raducanu seals the first set with a 7-4 victory in the tiebreak!
Having been on the verge of falling to a second break in the ninth, that will feel like a massive boost for Raducanu’s hopes of progression today.
Emma Raducanu 7-6 0-0 Suzan Lamens*
Great start from Raducanu in the second set, already putting pressure on the opening service game as she goes 0-30 up.
Lamens does well to make sure things don’t snowball, recovering to bring the game back to 30-30.
However, an excellent return from Raducanu keeps the pressure on, giving her a break point.
The Dutchwoman positions herself nicely to open up the court, drilling a backhand cross-court to force deuce.
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