Raducanu ‘exhausted’ after Madrid Open first-round exit

Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu said she felt “mentally and emotionally exhausted” after losing in the first round at the Madrid Open.

The 21-year-old was beaten 6-2 6-2 by Argentine qualifier Maria Lourdes Carle.

Raducanu helped Britain beat France in the Billie Jean King Cup before reaching her first WTA quarter-final in 19 months at the Stuttgart Open last week as she continues her comeback from an injury-hit 2023 season.

“I would say the last few weeks have been a lot,” Raducanu said.

“I think from the performance today it was very clear that mentally and emotionally I was exhausted.

“I was trying to push through and I was just unable to push through today. I guess the sport is just pretty brutal.”

Raducanu, who dropped to 303rd in the world following wrist and ankle operations last year, was set to play Karolina Pliskova in her opening match – but the former world number one pulled out of the tournament because of a wrist injury.

Currently ranked 221st, Raducanu was unable to recover after falling a double break of serve behind in both sets against her 82nd-ranked opponent.