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Emma Raducanu is through to the next round in Madrid - Reuters/Juan Medina
Emma Raducanu might not have played the most clinical tennis, nor the most polished, but she avoided a first-round upset in her first clay-court match of the season in Madrid.
Against the powerful forehand of Suzan Lamens, Raducanu ensured she would progress in the tournament with a 7-6, 6-4 win.
Having not played since an impressive run to the quarter-finals of the Miami Open, which included a win over world No 10 Emma Navarro, Raducanu took her time and fought hard.
After going a break down in both sets, and in the tie-break, Raducanu’s performance was punctuated by emphatic fist pumps and conversations with her box, which was populated by Mark Petchey and Jane O’Donoghue.
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Mark Petchey applauds Raducanu during her first-round match in Madrid - Getty Images/Clive Brunskill
It was a significant change from 12 months ago, when ranked 221st in the world, Raducanu was rolled over in the first round by Maria Carle, who claimed her first WTA 1000 win of her career. It was a 6-2, 6-2 hammering, and the Briton was broken six times.
Since then however, the grass-court season was the start of her recovery and return to the world’s top 100, and then top 50 after Miami.
In the next round, Raducanu will take on Marta Kostyuk, the big-hitting Ukrainian 24th seed.
03:37 PM BST
Marta Kostyuk awaits
Raducanu can look forward to a second-round meeting with the 24th seed Marta Kostyuk.
The pair last met in Madrid in 2022. Raducanu came out on top in straight sets.
03:29 PM BST
Raducanu wins 7-6, 6-4
Raducanu wins the opening point as Lamens goes long with a groundstroke from the baseline.
Nice drop shot, helped by a net cord, from Lamens sees her get to 15-15.
Big serve from Raducanu gets the Briton to 30-15 and then a wild forehand from Lamens brings up two match points for Raducanu.
And the Briton gets it done as Lamens goes long with a forehand return!
03:24 PM BST
Raducanu 7-6, 5-4 Lamens*
Raducanu races to a 0-30 lead before Lamens gets on the board at 15-30.
The Briton then rushes the Dutchwoman with a cross-court approach shot to go 15-40 before Lamens saves the first break point.
Raducanu takes the game on her second break point and will serve for the match after the sitdown.
03:21 PM BST
Winning the important points
Sometimes it’s not about the number of points you win, but which points you win, and that mammoth game with five deuce points was enough to prove that.
Fighting back countless times when Lamens had the advantage, Raducanu breaks with her first break point of the game.
03:20 PM BST
Raducanu* 7-6, 4-4 Lamens
Lamens races out to a 0-40 lead after a combination of winners and forced errors from the Raducanu racket.
Raducanu then gets to 15-40 after a Lamens error but Lamens does break as Raducanu sprays a backhand out wide.
Back on serve in this second set.
03:15 PM BST
Raducanu 7-6, 4-3 Lamens*
A deep forehand winner sees Raducanu get to 15-15 which draws a big “come on” from the Briton.
Lamens then wins the next point and responds with her own “come on”.
A huge forehand return winner sees Raducanu get to 30-40. The Briton then gets to deuce after drawing another error from Lamens.
A casual-looking backhand volley gives Lamens advantage before Raducanu hits another return winner to get back to deuce. Advantage Lamens after a lob-volley but the Dutchwoman then throws in a double fault.
Raducanu then brings up a fifth deuce after some good court craft, finished off with a forehand volley.
On her first break point in this game, Raducanu takes it as Lamens nets a backhand.
Huge break of serve from the Briton.
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03:04 PM BST
Raducanu* 7-6, 3-3 Lamens
Raducanu loses the opening point before getting on the board at 15-15.
An extended rally from the baseline then sees Raducanu get to 30-15.
Ace gets Raducanu to 40-15 and the Briton holds!
02:59 PM BST
Raducanu 7-6, 2-3 Lamens*
Lamens, with another love hold, edges ahead again in this second set.
02:58 PM BST
Briton digging deep and playing well
Raducanu will not go down easily in this match. Just as she did in the first set, as soon as she is broken, she goes on the attack and avoids finding herself significantly behind in the match.
She has been digging deep and playing well, but there have been warning signs from Lamens, in particular with her powerful forehand.
02:57 PM BST
Raducanu* 7-6, 2-2 Lamens
Lamens wins the opening point before Raducanu gets on the board following a good second serve.
The Dutchwoman then gets to 15-30 before Raducanu takes advantage of a Lamens error.
Raducanu eventually holds to 30 to level things up again.
02:52 PM BST
Raducanu 7-6, 1-2 Lamens*
Raducanu breaks to love as Lamens, who was unable to consolidate, puts in a tame service game.
Back on serve in this second set.
02:50 PM BST
Raducanu fully focused
With fist pumps and animated conversations across the width of the pitch to her box, Emma Raducanu has firmly been focused on the task at hand.
It is clear emotionally what this first clay-court match of the season means to her, and she has battled well to take the first set against the player who beat the British No 1 Katie Boulter in the Billie Jean King Cup.
02:49 PM BST
Raducanu* 7-6, 0-2 Lamens
Lamens goes back in behind Raducanu with a lovely forehand to win the opening point.
The Dutchwoman then gets to 0-30 after drawing an error from Raducanu.
Raducanu then breaks a string mid-point as Lamens goes up 0-40. Raducanu saves the first break point but loses the next one as Lamens breaks first again.
02:44 PM BST
Raducanu 7-6, 0-1 Lamens*
Raducanu races to 0-30 lead before Lamens eventually settles, drawing a couple of errors from the Briton.
Raducanu then gets her first look at a break point at 30-40 that Lamens saves after a gutsy backhand winner from the baseline.
A double fault from Lamens sees the game go to deuce before the Dutchwoman gets to advantage after a well-worked point.
Lamens holds as Raducanu hits a volley long. That was a very important hold for the 25-year-old.
02:35 PM BST
First-set tie-break goes to Raducanu!
Raducanu wins the opening point. 1-0.
A flat forehand winner down the line sees Lamens get on the board. 1-1.
Lamens gets to 2-1 after another extended rally.
Raducanu levels things up as Lamens miscues a backhand. 2-2.
Lamens passes with a forehand on the run to take the lead. 2-3.
Raducanu wins the next point to level things up again. 3-3.
Lamens nets a backhand to go down 3-4.
Raducanu, with the mini break, consolidates with a clever drop shot. 5-3.
Raducanu then gets to 6-3 to bring up three set points.
The Briton then hits a wayward backhand. 6-4.
And the Briton takes the first set after another backhand error from Lamens.
02:27 PM BST
Raducanu 6-6 Lamens*
Lamens wins the opening point off the back of a deep second serve.
Raducanu then hits a clean return winner to go 15-15 before Lamens goes up the line with a nice forehand to go 30-15.
The Dutchwoman holds to 15 and into a tie-break we go!
02:23 PM BST
Raducanu* 6-5 Lamens
Raducanu makes a tricky forehand volley to go 15-0. Lamens hits a forehand long to fall 30-0 behind before Raducanu drops the next point after a groundstroke error.
The Briton holds to 30 to edge ahead again. Lamens will serve to stay in this first set again after the break.
02:18 PM BST
Raducanu 5-5 Lamens*
Raducanu gets on the board first after a Lamens error.
The Dutchwoman then wins two quick points after some clever serving to go up 30-15.
Lamens then mixes things up from the back of the court to go 40-15 but it is Raducanu who wins the next point after some big hitting from the baseline.
Lamens eventually holds to 30.
02:13 PM BST
Raducanu* 5-4 Lamens
Lamens races to 0-30 lead after outmanoeuvring Raducanu from the back of the court.
Raducanu then gets on the board at 15-30 as Lamens hits a backhand long. Raducanu then goes long with a forehand to give Lamens a look at two break points. Raducanu saves the first as Lamens hits a return out... and the second with a delicate backhand volley.
Lamens gets a look at her third break point as Raducanu nets a forehand. Raducanu saves it with a nice backhand drop shot. Deuce. Some big hitting from both ladies sees Raducanu come out on top.
Big serve from Raducanu brings up game point. And the Briton holds as Lamens nets a forehand.
02:04 PM BST
Raducanu 4-4 Lamens*
Lamens, serving with new balls, puts a tricky overhead away to go 15-0.
The Dutchwoman draws a forced error from Raducanu to go 30-0 before another error from Raducanu sees Lamens reach 40-0 and eventually hold to love.
02:01 PM BST
Raducanu* 4-3 Lamens
Lamens hits a wayward backhand out as Raducanu goes up 15-0.
The Briton then follows up with an ace to go 30-0 and then 40-0 after a nice serve-plus-one finished on the backhand side.
Raducanu holds and regains the lead in this first set.
01:58 PM BST
Raducanu 3-3 Lamens*
Lamens opens with a double fault then follows with an ace out wide to go 15-15.
Raducanu then hits a clean return winner to go 15-30 and then goes 15-40 after drawing Lamens into the net before passing her.
The Briton breaks back at the first time of asking.
01:54 PM BST
Raducanu* 2-3 Lamens
Raducanu, looking wrap up a quick service game of her own, races out to 30-0 before Lamens draws a baseline error from the Briton.
Lamens then gets to 30-30 after a return winner off a Raducanu second serve.
On her first break point look, Lamens hits a clean backhand winner off a Raducanu first serve.
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Suzan Lamens celebrates after breaking Emma Raducanu’s serve - Getty Images/Clive Brunskill
01:49 PM BST
Raducanu 2-2 Lamens*
Lamens holds to love after a solid service game.
The Dutchwoman has settled very nicely into this contest.
01:45 PM BST
Raducanu* 2-1 Lamens
Some good serving and groundstroke play sees Raducanu go up 30-0 before the Briton nets a backhand.
Lamens then nets a forehand return before getting the better of Raducanu after an extended rally.
A lovely angled forehand winner from Raducanu sees her close out the game.
01:41 PM BST
Raducanu 1-1 Lamens*
Raducanu goes up 0-30 after drawing a couple of quick errors from Lamens.
The Dutchwoman then levels things up at 30-30 after some good baseline play.
Raducanu then gets her first look at a break point that is saved by Lamens with a lovely forehand drop shot.
Another extended rally sees Lamens come out on top as Raducanu nets a forehand.
01:36 PM BST
First Set: Emma Raducanu* 1-0 Suzan Lamens (denotes server)
Raducanu gets on the board first as Lamens hits a backhand into the tramlines.
The Briton then goes 30-0 after Lamens hits a forehand return long.
Lamens wins her first point as Raducanu double faults to 30-15 then hits a forehand out as Lamens gets to 30-30.
Raducanu gets to 40-30 as Lamens hits another forced error from the baseline then gets to deuce as Raducanu returns the favour.
The Briton eventually holds after an extended opening game.
01:25 PM BST
Players are on court
Raducanu and Lamens are on court and warming up.
Lamens won the toss and has elected to receive.
01:18 PM BST
Bencic sees off Sonmez
Belinda Bencic is through to the second round after a comfortable 6-0, 6-2 victory over Zeynep Sonmez.
Bencic faces 20th seed Clara Tauson next. Raducanu and Lamens are up next on Arantxa Sanchez Stadium.
01:09 PM BST
Raducanu gets her clay-court campaign under way
Good afternoon and welcome to first-round coverage of Emma Raducanu versus Suzan Lamens at the Mutua Madrid Open.
Raducanu has not played since making a run to the quarter-finals in Miami last month where she picked up impressive wins against world No 10 Emma Navarro and Amanda Anisimova before bowing out to Jessica Pegula in three sets.
Rather than play any of the clay WTA 250 or 500-level events ahead of Madrid, Raducanu decided to fit in a mini-training block instead. The Briton has arrived at WTA 1000 without an official coach but will be accompanied by her long-time mentor Jane O’Donoghue. Raducanu has also confirmed she intends to continue her coaching partnership with Mark Petchey on an ad hoc basis.
Lamens, currently ranked 73rd in the world, already has six clay-court matches under her belt this season. The 25-year-old from the Netherlands, who reached a career high ranking this year (65), beat British No 1 Katie Boulter in Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers earlier this month. Lamens also made a run to the semi-finals in Rouen last week, beating the likes of Bianca Andreescu and Linda Noskova en route.
Raducanu is making her third appearance in Madrid. Her best result came in 2022 where she made the round of 16 – she was the ninth seed that year. Last year she fell in the first round to Argentinian qualifier Maria Lourdes Carle in straight sets.
Lamens is making her debut and this is the pair’s first meeting on the WTA Tour.
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