CoCo Vandeweghe admits being ‘surprised’ by what Emma Raducanu did recently before Madrid tournament startedCoCo Vandeweghe admits being ‘surprised’ by what Emma Raducanu did recently before Madrid tournament started
Emma Raducanu made a strong start to her 2025 clay court season, defeating Suzan Lamens in straight sets at the Madrid Open. The 22-year-old Brit bounced back after skipping the Billie Jean King Cup and a WTA 250 event in Rouen, opting instead for a training block in Los Angeles—an unconventional choice that raised eyebrows in the tennis world.
Former top-10 player CoCo Vandeweghe admitted she was “surprised” by Raducanu’s decision.
“I was a bit surprised they chose LA for prep,” Vandeweghe said on the Tennis Channel Live Podcast. “But she used her fortitude to perfection. She’s dangerous on clay. Her high, heavy forehand really helps her dictate the pace, and her movement is improving—it’s all about body control on this surface.”
Raducanu’s 7-6(4), 6-4 win over Lamens marked her first outdoor clay win since 2022 and continued an impressive streak in pressure moments. She’s now won 12 of her last 13 tiebreaks, including victories over top players like Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro.
The only recent tiebreak loss came against Karolina Muchova in a match overshadowed by a disturbing incident involving a spectator.
Raducanu, currently ranked No. 49, will next face 24th seed Marta Kostyuk in the second round. The two last met at the same tournament in 2023, where Raducanu won convincingly, dropping just three games.
With Mark Petchey back in her coaching corner, Raducanu appears focused and poised to make a deep run in Madrid—possibly signaling a new level of maturity in her young career.
