Raducanu Finds Positives Despite Madrid Exit But Admits She's Still 'Not Comfortable'
NewsSunday, 27 April 2025 at 11:17
Emma Raducanu wanted to stay positive after losing in the second round of the 2025 Madrid Open.
Emma Raducanu has yet to play a proper clay season. In the last three years, the British player has played only seven matches on the red dirt, and she clearly lacks experience on this high-bouncing surface.
Coming from the United Kingdom, where players usually play on hard courts or grass, it's not a surprise that Raducanu struggled with clay. In fact, she isn't the first, and also not the last, British player to struggle on this surface.
Despite this, she was able to record some impressive wins on clay, such as when she guided Great Britain to a win over France in the Billie Jean King Cup. Now, the 2021 US Open champion competed at the WTA 1000 event in Madrid, but failed to win more than a match.
In the first round, Raducanu outplayed Suzan Lamens in two sets, but Marta Kostyuk proved to be better than the Grand Slam champion in the second round. The Ukrainian won in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
Raducanu showed that she can play well on clay, especially in the second set, but she just couldn't put together a performance that would guarantee her a win. Still, after the match, she wanted to look at the positives.
Every match played on clay is an important learning experience for the 22-year-old, so that's why, despite losing, she was happy to play two matches on clay in Madrid.
"I think it’s positive to get through and play two matches on the outdoor clay courts. I would say that it is pretty noticeable to me that I don’t necessarily feel very comfortable, but I think that’s something that I can improve on and work on."
"And it is my second proper clay season and the first one in three years. So I think I’m just trying to give myself a chance to play as many points as I can on it, and also [I need] time on the court training as well."
Raducanu also explained what exactly she finds so difficult on clay courts. The British player admitted that she still struggles with movement, which is one of the most crucial parts of a game to succeed on the red dirt.
"I found moving really difficult. I felt like I was slipping around, but it was taking me a long time to get out of the corners and after the serve as well. I’m not really sure how to improve that, so I guess I’ll just take that back and try to work on it in the next week."
After her loss in Madrid, Raducanu will move to Rome, where she will compete at the 2025 Italian Open in Rome. After that, the Brit, like the rest of the Tour, will travel to the French capital to compete at Roland Garros.
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