Emma Raducanu was supposed to face former world number one Karolina Pliskova at the 2024 Madrid Open, but she won't as the Czech player pulled out.
The Brit just had her best run in professional tennis since her triumph at the US Open in 2021. It was only recently that Raducanu was able to win four matches in a row again, which last happened at Flushing Meadows three years ago.
That run being on clay certainly makes it even more impressive, so many got curious about what might happen at the WTA 1000 tournament in Madrid. She has had some decent showings in the past at the event because it favors her style of play.
She's very aggressive and likes to go for winners, which the thinner air in Madrid makes a bit more likely despite the fact that it is a clay event. The draw wasn't easy for her because she got Karolina Pliskova, who would benefit from the conditions, but the Czech won't be playing at the event after all.
Pliskova has now pulled out of the event, which has changed things dramatically for Raducanu. Not only is she avoiding a former world number one who is tough to beat on the court in Madrid, but she will also get a lucky loser or a qualifier instead.
She can still get a tricky player, but she certainly won't get a former world number one as an opponent. It makes her draw much easier even though her second-round matchup would be against seeded Veronika Kudermetova, who is an experienced Top 20 player.
The Brit will want to keep her positive momentum going as she wants to improve her ranking as well. The higher she's ranked, the better draws she can get, and obviously, the more clay matches she plays, the better, in light of the Olympic Games later this year.
Although Pliskova's withdrawal is certainly sad development for the Czech player, it may be something that Raducanu welcomes for her clay-court part of the season.
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