Emma Raducanu suffers first-round defeat at Madrid Open; Watch over 80 tournaments live on Sky Sports Tennis

Emma Raducanu’s clay-court journey came to an abrupt end at the Madrid Open as she suffered a disappointing 6-2 6-2 defeat at the hands of world No 82 Maria Lourdes Carle. The British sensation, who had been in good form recently, winning four of her last five matches, failed to find her rhythm on the clay in Madrid.

Raducanu, who admitted to feeling tired leading up to the tournament, struggled to make an impact against Carle, winning very few points throughout the match. Despite being viewed as a strong favorite, the 2021 US Open champion was unable to overcome the challenge posed by the qualifier Carle.

Former player Colin Fleming expressed his shock at Raducanu’s performance, noting her lack of belief and competitiveness on the court. British Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong echoed similar sentiments, stating that Raducanu failed to show up ready to play.

In contrast, former world No 1 Naomi Osaka found success on the clay, securing her first win on the surface in two years with a victory over Greet Minnen. Osaka will now face Liudmila Samsonova in the second round.

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