Emma Raducanu booked her place in the semi-finals of the Washington Open for the first time with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Greece’s Maria Sakkari on a day where both players had to battle high temperatures.
After losing the opening game, Raducanu dropped serve but managed to break straight back. Raducanu broke again to make it 4-3 courtesy of a scuffed drop-volley by Sakkari, who fought back once more following another double fault by the Briton. After getting her nose in front again, Raducanu held serve to take the opening set.
The 22-year-old was looking to continue her impressive streak over the Greek player on her 30th birthday but Sakkari, who beat Katie Boulter earlier in the tournament, took a 4-2 lead in the second set. Temperatures of up to 36C took their toll as a physio was called on to the court to check on Raducanu. However, the break in play reinvigorated the 2021 US Open winner and she won five successive games to book her slot in the final four in two hours and 10 minutes.
“My confidence has been building since Miami,” said Raducanu. “The amount of work I’m doing behind the scenes, to have that in the locker and banked; you know you’ve done it, it takes a little pressure off the results.
“I’m really pleased today, Maria played a really good match and I think these conditions suit the jumpiness of her game. I’m really happy that I toughed it out.”
Raducanu will face either Clara Tauson or Anna Kalinskaya for a place in the final.
