3 terrible points from *30-0. As Petch says, a little bizarre. Great serve to save the break point but can't control the volley. She's kind of handed this to Kalinina.

4-5*

Super point to open the game. Two errors. Some magic for 30-30*, gets the error for break point. Misses the return. Saves match point. Ugh, should have made that volley.

Out 6-2 2-6 6-4

Odd, until midway through that set I would have said Kalinina deserved this. Then she fell apart, but Emma couldn't capitalise as her own level dropped just when she needed to stay steady. And Kalinina just pounced and I now don't really understand how she won it. Very odd match. Emma shouldn't have lost that game at *4-4.

But hey, more time and wins on this surface. Never won from a set down though I don't think.

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 3rd of May 2022 08:29:15 PM

R3: RADUCANU, Emma (GBR) (9) 11 lost to KALININA, Anhelina (UKR) 37 2-6 6-2 4-6

Kalinina in that first set tho was just brilliant - great to watch.

Outplayed in the first set. Kalinina very impressive. Better 2nd set from Emma though Kalinina's level dropped significantly. Neither player could sustain a decent level in the 3rd. Ultimately Emma rather handed it to her with so many poor errors in the last few games.

I suppose it was a good test in slower conditions.

nicofrance wrote:

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A wasted opportunity . With the draw opening up and Kalinina blowing that possible 4-1 lead in the 3rd set if Emma had just played no miss tennis she would have won this match .

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 Agree a definite wasted opportunity here. Madrid probably has the best clay courts for her game too. I don't see the slow clay of either Rome or Paris suiting her at  all with her limited experience.

Also let's hope she remains fit enough to compete properly for more than a couple of matches in a row, though she says she is optimistic of playing Rome next week,

From the BBC website, her own words

The 19-year-old was "struggling" with a back issue and needed treatment at the end of the first set.

"I would have given myself a 5% chance of winning that match," she said.

"Throughout the week I have been carrying some niggles, and it's kind of just taking its toll, all of the matches at this kind of level," said Raducanu, who is optimistic of playing in Rome next week.

 

"I think that's a good thing that I feel like I'm going through this and my body is building with each match I play."

Shame as she was so good in the previous two rounds.