Emma Raducanu knocked out of Madrid Open after second-round defeat at hands of Marta Kostyuk amid clay-court struggles
Published 25/04/2025 at 23:50 GMT+1
Emma Raducanu's clay-court struggles continued as she suffered a three-set loss to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk at the Madrid Open on Friday. It was a statement win for Kostyuk, who battled Raducanu as a junior, and her aggression proved too much. The Brit struggled to find her balance on the red dirt as her preparation continues for the French Open, which will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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Video credit: SNTV
Emma Raducanu's time at the Madrid Open came to an end at the hands of Marta Kostyuk, who clinched a statement win against her British contemporary.
A 6-4 2-6 6-2 victory in the Ukrainian's favour sees Raducanu's time in Spain end in the second round, a month after an encouraging Miami Open run to the quarter-finals.
In typical fashion for British players, Raducanu was open about her struggles with clay-court tennis after her loss to Kostyuk, who she previously battled in her days as a junior.
"I think it’s positive to get through and play two matches on the outdoor clay courts," Raducanu said. "I would say that it is pretty noticeable to me that I don’t necessarily feel very comfortable, but I think that’s something that I can improve on and work on.
"And it is my second proper clay season and the first one in three years. So I think I’m just trying to give myself a chance to play as many points as I can on it, and also [I need] time on the court training as well."
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Raducanu was uncomfortable from the beginning as Kostyuk took control, boasting superior athleticism when it comes to playing on the red dirt.
It was clear that the Ukrainian felt at ease on the surface compared to Raducanu, who was unbalanced and unsteady against Kostyuk's aggression.
"I found moving really difficult," added Raducanu. "I felt like I was slipping around, but it was taking me a long time to get out of the corners and after the serve as well. I’m not really sure how to improve that, so I guess I’ll just take that back and try to work on it in the next week."
Despite that, the Brit managed to clinch the second set and take it to a decider. But it was Kostyuk who prevailed to round off an impressive win against her fellow 22-year-old.
The next stop for Raducanu is likely the Italian Open in Rome, where the similar courts to Roland Garros will be good practice for the French Open.
You can watch every moment of the 2025 French Open live on TNT Sports and on discovery+
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