Tennis
Emma Raducanu battling ‘difficult moments’ as Brit lifts curtain after Madrid Open win
Emma Raducanu has shed light on the “difficult moments” she faced this season after a winning start in Madrid. The British No. 2 beat Suzan Lamens 7-6(4) 6-4 on Wednesday, earning her first clay-court win in more than a year. Afterwards, Raducanu touched on her team, which includes “informal” coach Mark Petchey and her long-time friend and mentor Jane O’Donoghue, revealing that they had picked her up during some tough times.
Raducanu has limited experience on the clay, but that didn’t stop her from producing an impressive performance against in-form Lamens, who won both her singles matches on indoor clay at the BJK Cup before reaching the Rouen semi-final. The Brit had to problem-solve to come back from a break down in both sets and was vocal throughout the match, roaring in celebration when she saved break points and got herself out of tough spots.
