In the lead-up to the prestigious Madrid Open, the anticipation was high as wildcard entrant Emma Raducanu was set to face former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova in what promised to be a blockbuster opener. However, the tennis world was met with news today that Pliskova, fresh off her 17th WTA title in Cluj, had withdrawn from the tournament, alongside Czech compatriot Marie Bouzkova. This development significantly alters Raducanu’s path in the tournament, offering her a potentially less daunting start.
Raducanu, who has been in impressive form recently, particularly on clay courts during the Billie Jean King Cup against France and at the Women’s Stuttgart Open, is poised to capitalize on this opportunity. With no automatic replacement for Pliskova, Raducanu is now likely to face a qualifier or lucky loser in her opening match, a prospect that undoubtedly bolsters her optimism.
Having previously reached the third round in Madrid, including victories over Tereza Martincova and Marta Kostyuk two years ago, Raducanu enters this year’s tournament with confidence. With no points to defend for the rest of the year, the former US Open champion has her sights set on climbing the WTA Rankings, having already made significant strides following her performance in Stuttgart.
In her potential second-round matchup, Raducanu could square off against the 17th seed Veronika Kudermetova. Despite Kudermetova’s status as a tough opponent, the Russian has faced struggles in 2024, adding an element of uncertainty to their encounter.
𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 form on the clay 🔥@EmmaRaducanu‘s Stuttgart quarter-final run is rewarded#BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 | @WTA pic.twitter.com/yCs7Zwqn8v
— LTA (@the_LTA) April 22, 2024
Looking further ahead in the tournament, Raducanu may find herself pitted against the likes of eighth seed Jelena Ostapenko or ninth seed Ons Jabeur. However, with her recent form and the absence of defending points, Raducanu is poised to challenge even the highest-ranked opponents.
With her opening match scheduled for this Wednesday, all eyes will be on Raducanu as she looks to make the most of this favorable draw and continue her ascent in the world of women’s tennis.
Emma Raducanu in 2024
LLWWWWLWWL At the moment ranked no.221, the Brit played her last match on the 19th of April when she was defeated by world no.1 Iga Swiatek 7-6(2) 6-3 in the quarter in Stuttgart (draw).
At present, during this year Raducanu has an overall 9-6 match record.
Emma Raducanu |
| Embed from Getty Images |
