La bisbal

Billie Jean King Cup: British tennis player Emma Raducanu suffered a first-round exit against World No. 82 Marie Lourdes Carle in a straight-set 6-2 6-2 at the Madrid Open.

Emma Raducanu arrived in Madrid with a string of victories under her belt. From her pivotal role in securing victory for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup to her impressive run in Stuttgart, where she lost against the formidable Iga Swiatek, Raducanu had been riding high on success. However, her journey hit a stumbling block as she faced off against Marie Lourdes Carle, the determined Argentine with a knack for clay-court supremacy.

Despite a valiant effort to stage a comeback after trailing early in the match, Raducanu found herself grappling with unforced errors and the relentless pressure from Carle's calculated game. She trailed 3-0 before breaking through but lost 5-1 as her Argentine opponent—who had just won the WTA 125 championship at La Bisbal d'Emporda earlier this month—used her clay-court skills to control the rallies and move her opponent around. Raducanu dropped the set 6-2 and made a staggering 19 unforced errors.