Emma Raducanu saw the progress made at the recent Stuttgart Open stall after she collapsed to a straight-sets defeat by Maria Lourdes Carle at the Madrid Open.
Raducanu exited last week’s tournament in Germany in the quarter-finals but that encouraging form deserted her on Wednesday as she was crushed 6-2 6-2 by her Argentinian opponent, who is ranked 83 in the world.
Playing with strapping around the front of her left knee, the 2021 US Open champion produced an error-strewn display on the clay at Manzanares Park.
Emma Raducanu was knocked out the first round of the Madrid Open on Wednesday
The 21-year-old was bested 6-2 6-2 by her Argentinian counterpart Maria Lourdes Carle
