Emma Raducanu set to face qualifier or lucky loser in Madrid Open opener, Katie Boulter could meet Aryna Sabalenka in round three – Watch live on Sky Sports

Emma Raducanu’s journey at the Madrid Open took an unexpected turn as she was set to face Karolina Pliskova in the opening round, only for the two-time Grand Slam finalist to withdraw from the tournament. Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, will now face a qualifier or lucky loser in her first match on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports.

The British sensation had a strong showing last week on clay, winning four matches in a row, including victories over Angelique Kerber and Linda Noskova at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. Despite a quarter-final exit in Stuttgart against world No 1 Iga Swiatek, Raducanu is eager to make her mark in Madrid.

If Raducanu advances past her opening match, she could potentially face 17th seed Veronika Kudermetova in the second round. Meanwhile, fellow Brit Katie Boulter, seeded 26th, received a first-round bye and could potentially meet defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the third round.

Sabalenka, who has won the Madrid Open twice in the last three years, will be looking to continue her success on the clay courts. However, she has not advanced past the quarter-finals in any event since winning the Australian Open earlier this year.

In the men’s draw, Rafael Nadal is set to face American wild card Darwin Blanch in his opening match, with a potential showdown against Alex de Minaur in the second round. British players Cameron Norrie, Dan Evans, and Jack Draper will also be in action, with exciting matchups on the horizon.

With the French Open at Roland-Garros approaching, tennis fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports as the biggest stars compete across the clay-court season. From the Madrid Open to the Italian Open, there will be plenty of thrilling matches to watch leading up to the second Grand Slam of the year.