Emma Raducanu marked her return to action with a straight-sets win over Suzan Lamens at the Madrid Open.
The 22-year-old took a break from the WTA Tour following her run to the Miami Open quarter-finals last month, swapping tournament action for a training block ahead of the clay-court swing.
It appeared to pay dividends as she opened her campaign in the Spanish capital with a 7-6 6-4 win over Lamens.
Raducanu, who is continuing her partnership with Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey on an informal basis, looked clinical and assured against the Dutchwoman to set up a second-round meeting with Marta Kostyuk.
Raducanu will be pleased with the way she prevailed in the first set, in which she came out on top in a tight contest that swung both ways, with an exchange of breaks.
The Briton was strongest in the tie-break, winning four successive points from 2-3 down to edge in front.
Lamens, ranked 73 in the world, was 2-0 up in the second set as she threatened a comeback, but Raducanu regained control.
She broke twice to lead 5-4 and then served it out for victory, banishing her Madrid demons from last year, when she suffered arguably her worst loss of the year to Maria Carle in the same competition.
