Emma Raducanu, the former US Open champion, seeks a strong start to her Madrid Open campaign when she takes on Maria Lourdes Carle in her first-round match. Raducanu, who was originally scheduled to face Karolina Pliskova, now faces a more favorable draw against the Argentine qualifier. The 21-year-old has enjoyed success on clay this year, winning in Stuttgart and reaching the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals. She will be looking to continue her impressive form against Carle, who is making her second appearance in a Masters tournament main draw. The Argentine qualifier defeated Tereza Martincova and Marta Kostyuk in the qualifying rounds to reach the main draw. Raducanu and Carle have never faced each other before, but the Briton will be favored due to her superior ranking and recent form. Raducanu has won 107 matches from 162 played, while Carle has won 264 matches from 398 played. However, Carle has proven her ability on clay, winning her first WTA 125 title recently. The match is set to take place on Wednesday at the top level, and Raducanu should be expected to win and advance to the second round.
Emma Raducanu Begins Madrid Open vs. Maria Lourdes Carle, Eyes Strong Start on Clay
