Emma Raducanu opened her Madrid Open campaign with a gritty victory against a quality, in-form opponent, holding off Suzan Lamens of the Netherlands 7-6 (4), 6-4 to reach the second round.
Over the past three and a half years, as Raducanu has tried to navigate the pressure, stress and discomfort that accompanied her spectacular arrival, there have been times where it seemed as if she might find her way. Those hopeful moments were usually fleeting, with a series of tough losses, injuries or a self-sabotaging decision always around the corner.
