So there I was, no clue why I even cared so much, but something about Raducanu’s game just… called to me, you know? Emma Raducanu, the tennis star, decided to take some kind of “physical and mental break.” Not something you hear often from athletes, right? But, hey, this is her first game back in Madrid (after reaching Miami Open quarter-finals), since forever. Or at least it feels like forever. Almost three years, she hadn’t won on that gritty, sneaky outdoor clay. Maybe the clay was holding a grudge. Who knows.
So, there she was on Friday, and let’s just say things kicked off a bit… rocky. It’s like she was in her 18th match on that surface ever. Really not a frequent flyer in the clay court department, huh? Started out on the back foot, scrambling from a break down for 3-3 in the first set. Just when it seemed like she might be getting it together – boom – drops her serve again like it’s a hot potato. Two double faults? Kostyuk’s probably thinking it’s her birthday.
But here’s where it gets spicy, Raducanu isn’t one to just roll over. You could see her getting her groove back in the second set. She starts stringing games together like she’s unraveling Christmas lights (sure, let’s say four in a row) and forces the thing into a deciding set. Exhilarating!
Then, just as we’re settling in for maybe—a comeback?—nope. A wobbly start in that third set, and suddenly Kostyuk’s off to the races. Emma’s on the back foot again, and before you know it, Kostyuk’s the one with the win, ready to face Veronika Kudermetova next. Emma definitely gave it a fight, though.
Speaking of battles, Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed, makes it all look way too easy, dispatching Anna Blinkova 6-3 6-4. Like, seriously? But not everyone had it that smooth—Zheng Qinwen had a bit of a rough patch, stumbling out against Anastasia Potapova 6-4 6-4. Ah, the court, she giveth and she taketh away.
Oh, and get this: Paula Badosa, with her world number nine ranking, had to bow out of the tournament because of some back injury. Yup, just as she was supposed to square off with Kudermetova in round two. Tough break, literally.
Okay, maybe I’m rambling, but it’s just wild how these matches unfold, each one with its own little story. They wrap around your brain, refusing to let go. Anyway, here’s to more surprises and, hopefully, seeing Raducanu back in full swing soon.
