Emma Raducanu: British No 2 knocked out of Madrid ...

Emma Raducanu was knocked out of the Madrid Open regardless of a optimistic efficiency towards clay-court specialist Marta Kostyuk.

The previous US Open champion reached the quarter-finals of one of many WTA Tour’s premier occasions for the primary time on the Miami Open final month however is not going to be repeating the feat within the Spanish capital.

Raducanu recorded a formidable straight-sets win over Suzan Lamens within the opening spherical, however regardless of displaying flashes of world-class brilliance, she was unable to cease Ukraine’s Kostyuk, who’s seeded twenty fourth, sealing a 6-4 2-6 6-2 win.

Raducanu had crushed Kostyuk comfortably of their final assembly on the identical event three years in the past however made a poor begin right here.

She dug in to claw her manner again from 1-3 to 3-3 just for two double faults to see her instantly drop serve once more, with Kostyuk occurring to take the opening set.

Kostyuk obtained remedy to her proper wrist forward of the second set and this time it was Raducanu who made the stronger begin, with the 22-year-old levelling the match due to a run of 4 video games in a row.

However a poor sport from Raducanu, who is constant to work informally with coach Mark Petchey, to start out the decider set the tone as Kostyuk powered her method to the end line.

“I misplaced an easy match to her three years in the past, so it was not good recollections,” mentioned 22-year-old Kostyuk.

“I knew Emma’s an incredible fighter and he or she’s achieved quite a bit and may play superb tennis. It was going to be a battle so very pleased with the win.”

Fleming: Raducanu discovering her clay toes

Colin Fleming, talking on Sky Sports activities Tennis: “Emma Raducanu is a competitor. She’ll be dissatisfied at this stage however I feel when the mud settles there’s quite a bit to take from this match. This was stage at instances on a floor the place she hasn’t performed loads of tennis not too long ago.

“If she will hold working, hold discovering her toes within the clay, her motion, her stability and simply consolation on this floor. I feel she will nonetheless have some nice outcomes on this clay-court season and I feel it should serve her properly for past that into the grass and the arduous.

“Plenty of positives to take from this one.”

Story of the Tape

Boulter thumped by French Open finalist; Kartal additionally out

Katie Boulter was thumped 6-1 6-2 by Jasmine Paolini in simply 56 minutes.

The British No 1 continues to be inexperienced on clay and proved no match for the sixth seed, who reached the French Open closing final season.

Boulter significantly struggled on serve, successful solely 11 factors within the match, whereas she didn’t maintain serve till the penultimate sport of the competition.

Paolini had an opportunity to clinch an much more decisive victory when she held a primary match level at 5-0 within the second set however Boulter no less than rallied a little bit to keep away from a love set.

It was an analogous story for Sonay Kartal towards in-form Elina Svitolina, the British No 3 dropping out 6-3 6-1 to the seventeenth seed.

Prime seed Aryna Sabalenka was a cushty 6-3 6-4 winner over Anna Blinkova however eighth seed Zheng Qinwen’s struggles continued with a 6-4 6-4 defeat towards Anastasia Potapova.

Within the males’s draw, prime seed Alexander Zverev eased to a 6-2 6-2 win over Roberto Bautista Agut and third seed Taylor Fritz beat Christopher O’Connell 6-1 6-4.

Defending champion Andrey Rublev and ninth seed Daniil Medvedev each progressed with out hitting a ball after their opponents withdrew, whereas ladies’s ninth seed Paula Badosa pulled out with a again damage.

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