In the blistering heat of Madrid’s Caja Mágica, Emma Raducanu’s 2025 Madrid Open campaign came to a dramatic close on April 25, as she fell to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in a gripping second-round clash. The British No. 2, ranked 49th in the world, battled fiercely but ultimately succumbed 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to the 24th seed in a match that showcased both her resilience and her ongoing struggles on clay. The defeat marked the end of British women’s representation in the tournament, with Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal also exiting earlier that day.
Raducanu entered the match with cautious optimism, fresh off a hard-fought first-round victory over Suzan Lamens—her first outdoor clay win since 2022. That triumph had sparked hope that the former US Open champion was rediscovering her form on a surface where she has historically struggled. “I know I had to play really well to win, and although it wasn’t always my best, I got stuck in at the right moments,” Raducanu had said after her opening match, a sentiment that reflected her gritty determination. Against Kostyuk, she needed every ounce of that tenacity.
The match began under the scorching Spanish sun, with temperatures soaring on the warmest day of the tournament. Kostyuk, a consistent top-30 player and a childhood rival of Raducanu’s, set an aggressive tone early. The Ukrainian, five months older than her opponent, leveraged her experience on clay to claim the first set 6-4, capitalizing on Raducanu’s shaky serve in critical moments. Despite the setback, Raducanu showed flashes of the brilliance that propelled her to the 2021 US Open title, particularly in the second set. She surged back, winning four consecutive games to level the match at 6-2, forcing a decider. “Raducanu takes the second set and forces it into a decider 💪,” the WTA had posted on X, capturing the momentum shift.
However, the third set exposed Raducanu’s lingering discomfort on clay, a surface where she has played only 18 professional matches. A poor service game early in the decider handed Kostyuk a break, and the Ukrainian powered to a 6-2 finish, sealing the victory in just over two hours. Raducanu, who won one more point than Kostyuk overall, struggled to hold serve at pivotal moments, a factor that proved decisive. “I’m proud of how I competed. It is a strength of mine when I can use it,” Raducanu had noted earlier in the tournament, but against Kostyuk’s relentless pressure, her competitive spirit wasn’t enough.
This encounter was a rematch of their 2022 Madrid Open meeting, where Raducanu had dominated Kostyuk in straight sets. Three years later, the tables turned, highlighting the contrasting trajectories of the two players. While Raducanu has grappled with injuries and inconsistency since her Grand Slam triumph, Kostyuk has carved out a steady presence on the WTA Tour. The loss cost Raducanu a chance to boost her rankings points, as she was defending just 10 points from her first-round exit in Madrid the previous year.
Off the court, Raducanu’s coaching situation remains a talking point. After parting ways with long-term coach Nick Cavaday earlier in 2025, she has leaned on familiar faces Mark Petchey and Jane O’Donoghue in Madrid. Petchey, who joined her informally in Miami and continued in Spain, has brought a relaxed dynamic to her camp. Rad – a stability Raducanu values. “I can trust him,” she said of Petchey, underscoring the importance of a supportive team.
Despite the defeat, Raducanu’s Madrid campaign offered glimmers of progress. Her first-round win and competitive showing against a seeded opponent signal a player inching closer to recapturing her best form. As she prepares for the Italian Open, where she last competed in 2022, Raducanu remains focused on growth. “I’ve realized now that less is more for me sometimes,” she told reporters, reflecting on her decision to take a training block earlier in the season. For now, the clay courts of Europe remain a work in progress, but Raducanu’s fight in Madrid proves she’s not backing down.