EMMA RADUCANU LEARNS FATE WITH UNEXPECTED CHANCE TO FURTHER BOOST RANKING AT MADRID OPEN
Emma Raducanu has an improved chance to pick up more valuable ranking points at the Madrid Open after her draw was changed at the last minute.
The former British No 1 has found some good form since the change to the clay court season having won four of her last five matches.
She helped Great Britain beat France in their Billie Jean King Cup tie before reaching the quarter-finals of last week's Stuttgart Open.
The 21-year-old got a huge bump up the rankings after her performance in Stuttgart, rising 82 places.
Raducanu is now in Madrid - 12 months after she pulled out of the competition and underwent surgery on both her wrists.
Having not played the tournament last year, Raducanu has the opportunity to gain even more points to climb further up the rankings.
Her task was initially made tough when she was drawn to face former world No 1 Pliskova.
But the Czech star was forced to pull out of the tournament, meaning a qualifier was picked to replace her.
It's now been confirmed that Argentina's Maria Lourdes Carle will face Raducanu in the first round of the competition.
Carle is enjoying the best year of her career on tour having won her first WTA 125 title recently.
However, Raducanu will fancy her chances more than going up against the experienced Pliskova.
The British tennis star feels she has come 'full circle' in returning to Madrid a year on from her injury nightmare.
"This was the last place I came to last year before surgery," she told Sky Sports.
"I pulled out on site, had surgery and then missed the next eight months.
"Now I have nothing to defend so everything is a gain, everything is a win.
"Thinking about how far I've come since last year is a great thing. I think it's a full-circle moment a year on.
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"We were talking about my last interview in Madrid [in the car]... I think I've come a long way since then.
"Obviously, a lot was going on. I knew I was going to have to have surgery.
"I didn't want to say anything about it [in the press conference] but I was a bit gutted about that. But yeah, coming here I feel a lot better.
"I'm in a much better place with my tennis. Mentally I feel really confident and I'm just looking forward to the rest of the clay season, to be honest."
2024-04-23T20:21:17Z dg43tfdfdgfd