Raducanu Comes Up Short Against Kalinina At Madrid Masters; Halep Leads Women’s QFs

Emma Raducanu fought from a break down in the third to take the lead only to come up just short in a tough 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 loss to Anhelina Kalinina in the third round at the Madrid Masters.

Raducanu fell behind 3-1 in the decider but upped the pace on her forehand and clawed back. A nervous-looking Kalinina was somehow able to get back on track, finding the range on her potent backhand for one of her biggest career wins.

“Already in the end of the match, I was not thinking about the score, because the intensity was high,” Kalinina said afterward. “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,” she added. “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.”

The 19-year-old Raducanu was also hampered by a back issue which needed treatment at the end of the first set.

“I would have given myself a 5% chance of winning that match,” Raducanu said of the injury. “For it to almost happen, I think that was a positive thing.

“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,” she said.

“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.”

Jessica Pegula ended the hopes of Bianca Andreescu coming from a break down in the first to take it 7-5, 6-1.

“I felt like the first set was super-awkward,” said Pegula. “No one could really take control with all the chances. Three for 17 on break points is an insane stat, that has to be a record. So that was interesting. But I was mentally able to stay in it and win the set. But it was awkward, I think we were both super on edge.”

She’ll now face Spanish back-board Sara Sorribes Tormo who topped Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Jil Teichmann was also a winner, she’ll face Kalinina for a semifinal spot.

On a full day of quarters on Wednesday, 2-time champion and tournament favorite Simona Halep faces Ons Jabeur and Amanda Anisimova battles Ekatarina Alexandrova.

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