Emma Raducanu has shown the sort of form that won the US Open to beat Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk and reach the third round of the Madrid Open.
Having managed back-to-back victories at an event just once in the seven months following her New York triumph, Raducanu has now done it twice in as many weeks.
The 19-year-old won 11 of the last 12 games to beat Tereza Martincova in the opening round, after a poor start.
On Sunday she raced to a 6-2 6-1 victory against fellow teenager Kostyuk.
Speaking on court, Raducanu said: “I’m definitely very happy with my performance today. Marta is a great opponent, we played several times in the juniors and then once last year.
“I knew it was always going to be a really tough battle so I went out there trying to be really aggressive and it definitely paid off.”
The pair are almost the same age but Kostyuk, who has spoken extensively about the effect the war in her homeland has had on her, has been playing on the main tour since she was 15.
Raducanu prioritised her school work and has been a full-time professional for less than a year.
The British player began on the front foot and did not let up.
Everything was working, in particular her forehand and serve. Raducanu dropped just six points on serve during the match.
The ninth seed will next face another Ukrainian, Anhelina Kalinina, who beat home star Garbine Muguruza 6-3 6-0..
Raducanu’s victory was one of three on clay for British players on Sunday.
Twenty-year-old Jack Draper beat France’s world 27 Lorenzo Sonego 6-4 6-3 in his first tour-level match on the surface. Draper set up a clash with sixth seed Andrey Rublev.
Dan Evans claimed a morale-boosting 6-3 6-4 success against Argentinia’s Federico Delbonis.
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