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Evening Standard
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Pa Sport Staff

Emma Raducanu marks return to action with straight sets win at Madrid Open

Emma Raducanu has opened her campaign with a straight sets win - (Getty Images)

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 (4) 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 how she prevailed in the first set, winning a tight contest that swung both ways with an exchange of breaks.

The Briton was strongest in the tie-break, though, 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.

Mutua Madrid Open Results

Women's Singles, Round of 128

Katie Volynets, United States, def. Petra Kvitova, Czechia, 6-4, 6-0.

Ann Li, United States, def. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Belarus, 6-3, 6-2.

Diane Parry, France, def. Irina-Camelia Begu, Romania, 6-3, 6-4.

Maya Joint, Australia, def. Carlota Martinez Cirez, Spain, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Anastasija Sevastova, Latvia, def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, 6-4, 7-5.

Belinda Bencic, Switzerland, def. Zeynep Sonmez, Turkiye, 6-0, 6-2.

Bernarda Pera, United States, def. Jana Fett, Croatia, 6-4, 6-3.

Alycia Parks, United States, def. Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, Andorra, 6-3, 6-3.

Maria Carle, Argentina, def. Rebecca Sramkova, Slovakia, 6-3, 6-2.

Maria Sakkari, Greece, def. Wang Xinyu, China, 6-4, 7-6 (7).

Anna Blinkova, Russia, def. Panna Udvardy, Hungary, 6-4, 6-2.

Emma Raducanu, Britain, def. Suzan Lamens, Netherlands, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Rebeka Masarova, Switzerland, def. Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.

Yuliia Starodubtseva, Ukraine, def. Linda Fruhvirtova, Czechia, 6-2, 6-2.

Veronika Kudermetova, Russia, def. Polina Kudermetova, Russia, 6-2, 6-2.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.

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