Emma Raducanu sees Madrid challenge ended in last 16 by Anhelina Kalanina
- Planet Sport writer
- 4 May 2022
British number one still searching for best form despite recent improvement.
Emma Raducanu saw her clay season resurgence halted by Anhelina Kalanina in Madrid as she narrowly missed out on a Madrid quarter-final.
Raducanu has struggled on hardcourts since her remarkable US Open win last year, but she has been enjoying the first clay season of her career.
That season won't involve a title in Madrid, though, with Ukrainian Kalanina winning a tight contest 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
"I want to give credit to Emma because I think we both played very good quality, the match was great in my opinion," Kalinina told Amazon Prime.
"I appreciate in this moment I was maybe luckier and I did better in the decisive points. I am happy I won this match."
For Kalinina it continues a breakthrough tournament in Madrid, with her reaching a 1000 quarter-final for the first time on the back of beating three Grand Slam champions in a row.
"Already in the end of the match, I was not thinking about the score, because the intensity was high," Kalinina said.
Whipped up a fabulous break 💯#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/VxTQg6rjho
— wta (@WTA) May 3, 2022
"I'm just so happy that I could close the match, because it was crazy at the end, so many deciding points and so many rallies. Tough, tough match.
"I'm very happy that I'm starting to move further in the big tournaments.
"Now I can get into these tournaments, get my experience, play more matches here, and get another match, another opportunity.
"So I'm getting more experience on this level, and these matches will give me very good experience in my pocket."
