Emma Raducanu enjoys straight-sets win over Tereza Martincova

After days of more talk following her all around the grounds of Madrid, this time about the merits of her unusual perspective to coaching in light of her decision to part ways with her coach Torben Beltz after five months, Emma Raducanu’s clay-court education resumed with an excellent win on her Madrid Open debut.

Having trailed 2-5 in the opening set while twice standing one point away from relinquishing it, Raducanu showcased her adaptability and mental fortitude as she methodically turned the match on its head to defeat Tereza Martincova 7-6, 6-0 and reach the second round.

The match-up was a second meeting between the pair this month, with Raducanu already demonstrating her ability to play the big points best as she ground through a 7-5, 7-5 win against Martincova in her first professional match on clay at the Billie Jean King Cup.

But while the altitude of Madrid that makes the ball fly and the conditions faster is a better fit for Raducanu, as were they for Martincova who has played best on faster surfaces. The Czech served extremely well and imposed consistent pressure on Raducanu with her forehand and played an extremely clean opening set.

As in Prague however, Raducanu produced her best tennis in the tightest moments and she completely changed her approach. Not only did she begin to load up her shots with more topspin, adding margin into her game, moving further behind and eliciting errors from an increasingly refusing to miss, she also truly embraced the surface beneath her with her method of attack.

Having started the match attacking as if on a hard court, Raducanu began to drag Martincova off the court with width. In the attritional rallies that followed, Raducanu continually outmaneuvered Martincova, her