In the sun-soaked courts of Madrid’s Caja Mágica, Emma Raducanu’s 2025 Madrid Open campaign came to a dramatic close in a second-round showdown against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. The 22-year-old British star, fresh off a promising clay-court victory, battled fiercely in a match that swung with momentum, ultimately falling 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to the 24th seed. Despite the defeat, Raducanu’s performance was a testament to her growing resilience and competitive spirit, even as the clay surface continues to challenge her.
Raducanu entered the tournament on a high, having secured her first clay-court win in three years against Suzan Lamens in the opening round. That victory, a hard-fought 7-6(4), 6-4 battle, marked a significant milestone for the 2021 US Open champion, who had taken a month-long “physical and mental” break after reaching the Miami Open quarter-finals. But facing Kostyuk, a familiar rival from their junior days and a player comfortable on clay, proved an immense challenge. “I grew up playing with her… It will be interesting,” Raducanu had said before the match, acknowledging the history between the two, who split their previous professional encounters with lopsided scorelines.
The match began with Kostyuk seizing control, breaking Raducanu’s serve in the opening game to set an aggressive tone. The Ukrainian’s powerful forehand and nimble movement on the red dirt kept Raducanu on the defensive, forcing her to scramble from the baseline. Down 1-3, Raducanu clawed back to level the score at 3-3, showcasing her trademark fight with a stunning 19-shot rally capped by a sizzling winner. But two double faults in the next game handed Kostyuk the break, and she closed out the first set 6-4. “I found moving really difficult,” Raducanu later admitted, reflecting on the slippery clay. “I felt like I was slipping around, but it was taking me a long time to get out of the corners.”
The second set saw a revitalized Raducanu. As Kostyuk took a medical timeout for a wrist issue, Raducanu conferred with her coach, Mark Petchey, whose informal guidance has been a steadying force. She returned with renewed aggression, racing to a 2-0 lead and capitalizing on Kostyuk’s nine double faults—compared to Raducanu’s four—to win four consecutive games. The 6-2 scoreline forced a decider, and the Madrid crowd buzzed with anticipation. “Emma’s a great fighter and she’s achieved a lot,” Kostyuk said post-match, recognizing the battle. “I knew it was going to be a battle so very happy with the win.”
The third set, however, belonged to Kostyuk. Raducanu’s sloppy opening service game gifted an early break, and the Ukrainian’s clay-court prowess shone through. Her drop shots and baseline dominance overwhelmed Raducanu, who struggled to hold serve despite winning one more point overall (85 to Kostyuk’s 84). Kostyuk sealed the 6-2 set after two hours and 17 minutes, celebrating with her dog, Manda, on court—a heartwarming moment that delighted fans. “I lost a very easy match to her three years ago, so it was not good memories,” Kostyuk added, referencing her 6-2, 6-1 defeat to Raducanu in Madrid in 2022.
Raducanu’s exit capped a tough day for British women, with Katie Boulter falling 6-1, 6-2 to Jasmine Paolini and Sonay Kartal losing 6-3, 6-1 to Elina Svitolina. Yet, Raducanu’s performance offered positives. Her competitive showing against a clay-court specialist like Kostyuk, ranked 36th in the world, signals progress on a surface where she’s played just 18 competitive matches. “This was a good level at times on a surface where she hasn’t played a lot of tennis recently,” noted commentator Colin Fleming, suggesting Raducanu’s clay-court journey is far from over.
As Raducanu heads to the Italian Open in Rome, where she’s set to compete next, she carries valuable lessons from Madrid. Her power-packed groundstrokes and relentless spirit hint at a bright future on clay, even if movement remains a work in progress. With Petchey’s guidance and a ranking of 1,139 points to build on, Raducanu’s story is one of perseverance. Madrid may not have delivered the deep run she hoped for, but it showcased a fighter determined to conquer new challenges, one rally at a time.