Emma Raducanu has acknowledged she’s still not feeling at ease on clay courts following her second-round defeat at the Madrid Open. The 22-year-old Brit was knocked out by 24th seed Marta Kostyuk, who avenged her 2022 loss with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 win.
This tournament marked Raducanu’s first clay event of the season and her first match win on the surface in over a year. Despite a strong showing in the second set, Raducanu struggled with movement and consistency, getting broken six times throughout the match.
“I would say that it is pretty noticeable to me that I don’t necessarily feel very comfortable,” she told The Guardian. “But I think that’s something I can improve on and work on.”
Raducanu, who won the US Open in 2021, has had limited exposure to clay. This was only her 18th professional match on the surface. Last year, she exited Madrid in the first round and skipped both Rome and the French Open due to injury and preparation for grass season.
Her match against Kostyuk, a player with significantly more clay-court experience, showed the gap. Kostyuk, who reached the Stuttgart final last year and has made it to the second week of the French Open, outlasted Raducanu in a physical, two-hour-and-17-minute contest.
Still, Raducanu saw positives: “It’s good to play two matches on outdoor clay courts. I’m just trying to give myself a chance to play as many points as I can and get time on the court.”
Her coaching setup remains unsettled. Mark Petchey, who briefly worked with her in Miami, was back in her box in Madrid, though Raducanu confirmed their arrangement is still informal. She said he will “hopefully” be with her again in Rome next month.
Raducanu played the Italian Open once before, in 2022, but retired during her opening match due to injury. She now looks ahead to the event, aiming to build more confidence and match experience on clay.
