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 7-6 0-1 Suzan Lamens*
Lamens takes the advantage but fluffs the chance to hold, producing a double fault to keep Raducanu’s hopes of an early break alive.
She then carves open the court with a wonderful forehand and has another chance to hold, and this time succeeds - drilling a forehand at Raducanu who had come to the net, forcing her volley to go long.
BREAK! *Emma Raducanu 7-6 0-2 Suzan Lamens
Lamens is looking more and more dangerous. She completely wrong-foots Raducanu to start the second, drilling a forehand down right to take the lead.
Another emphatic return and a Raducanu mishit follow and suddenly Lamens has three break points.
Raducanu gets a point back but then gets her drop shot all wrong, hitting it beyond the tramline and giving Lamens an early break!
What a response!
BREAK! Emma Raducanu 7-6 1-2 Suzan Lamens*
Raducanu once again goes up 0-30 on defence, forcing two quick errors from Lamens.
But instead of blowing her advantage, she gives herself three break points by wrong-footing the Dutchwoman.
And there’s no fightback to speak of from Lamens, who nets her shot and throws away her break moments after working so hard to get it.
*Emma Raducanu 7-6 2-2 Suzan Lamens
Lamens wins the opening point before Raducanu produces a strong second serve to get on the board.
The Dutchwoman retakes the lead before Raducanu takes advantage of a Lamens error.
Raducanu then hits an ace to get her on track and eventually holds to level things up.
Emma Raducanu 7-6 2-3 Suzan Lamens*
After a tame service game in the last, that was much more like it from Lamens.
She holds to love.
*Emma Raducanu 7-6 3-3 Suzan Lamens
Lamens takes the first point, forcing Raducanu to come from behind on serve once again.
She manages to level before forcing Lamens from one corner to the other, scuffing her forehand as she raced over.
Raducanu then fires an ace to put her in control, before a knifed backhand slice downs Lamens to seal the game.
Probably Raducanu’s best service game so far.
Emma Raducanu 7-6 3-3 Suzan Lamens*
A game of two screams.
First point goes the way of Lamens, who is then stunned by a thunderous Raducanu winner as she drills a forehand from far behind the bassline to level, and celebrates with a shout.
Lamens responds with two great points of her own, and on both occasions tries to match the decibel level recorded by Raducanu moments earlier.
With the game of 40-30, Raducanu refuses to give in the chance to break and brilliantly levels to force deuce.
BREAK! Emma Raducanu 7-6 4-3 Suzan Lamens*
Lamens’s service game has deteriorated as she blows three advantages, the second coming via double fault.
A wonderful backhand down the line gives Lamens a fourth shot at holding serve. Raducanu is once again able to take control with her back against the wall, forcing a fifth deuce.
A sixth advantage goes the way of Lamens, and ANOTHER double fault befalls her! She looks to be deflating after such an extended game.
Raducanu utilises a change of direction and earns her first break point of the game, with Lamens smashing her racket to the clay in frustration.
The Brit takes her chance and secures the break! That could be the defining game.
BREAK! *Emma Raducanu 7-6 4-4 Suzan Lamens
Lamens has bounced back in incredible fashion here, taking 0-40 lead on defence.
Raducanu gets back a point, but a ferocious strike on the forehand does the damage and seals the break.
BREAK! Emma Raducanu 7-6 5-4 Suzan Lamens*
Once again, the game starts in favour of the returner, with nine of the last ten points going against the server.
Great work on the approach with Raducanu’s backhand as she forces Lamens to net and secures a 15-40 lead.
Lamens hits back but once again fires into the net to give Raducanu yet another break of serve!
The Brit will now be serving for the match...
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