The 22-year-old took a break from the WTA Tour following her run to the Miami Open quarter-finals last month, swapping tournament action for a training block ahead of the clay-court swing.
It appeared to pay dividends as she opened her campaign in the Spanish capital with a 7-6 (4) 6-4 win over Lamens.
Raducanu, who is continuing her partnership with Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey on an informal basis, looked clinical and assured against the Dutchwoman to set up a second-round meeting with Marta Kostyuk.
Raducanu will be pleased with how she prevailed in the first set, winning a tight contest that swung both ways with an exchange of breaks.
The Briton was strongest in the tie-break, though, winning four successive points from 2-3 down to edge in front.
Lamens, ranked 73 in the world, was 2-0 up in the second set as she threatened a comeback, but Raducanu regained control.
She broke twice to lead 5-4 and then served it out for victory.
Mutua Madrid Open Results
Women’s Singles, Round of 128
Katie Volynets, United States, def. Petra Kvitova, Czechia, 6-4, 6-0.
Ann Li, United States, def. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Belarus, 6-3, 6-2.
Diane Parry, France, def. Irina-Camelia Begu, Romania, 6-3, 6-4.
Maya Joint, Australia, def. Carlota Martinez Cirez, Spain, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.
Anastasija Sevastova, Latvia, def. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, 6-4, 7-5.
Belinda Bencic, Switzerland, def. Zeynep Sonmez, Turkiye, 6-0, 6-2.
Bernarda Pera, United States, def. Jana Fett, Croatia, 6-4, 6-3.
Alycia Parks, United States, def. Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, Andorra, 6-3, 6-3.
Maria Carle, Argentina, def. Rebecca Sramkova, Slovakia, 6-3, 6-2.
Maria Sakkari, Greece, def. Wang Xinyu, China, 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Anna Blinkova, Russia, def. Panna Udvardy, Hungary, 6-4, 6-2.
Emma Raducanu, Britain, def. Suzan Lamens, Netherlands, 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Rebeka Masarova, Switzerland, def. Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
Yuliia Starodubtseva, Ukraine, def. Linda Fruhvirtova, Czechia, 6-2, 6-2.
Veronika Kudermetova, Russia, def. Polina Kudermetova, Russia, 6-2, 6-2.
