The Tennis Thread

[Cricket Warrior]

Raducanu beats Osaka but Norrie & Evans lose in DC

Britain's Emma Raducanu is through to the quarter-finals of the Washington Open after beating four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in straight sets.

After previously upsetting Ukrainian seventh seed Marta Kostyuk in round one, the 22-year-old produced a dominant performance to overcome former world number one Osaka 6-4 6-2.

The 2021 US Open women's singles champion will face wildcard Maria Sakkari in the last eight after the Greek player knocked out American second seed Emma Navarro.

Raducanu will also replace Katie Boulter, who lost to Sakkari in the first round, as British number one when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday.

However, in the men's singles, Britons Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans were eliminated in the last 16.

British number two Norrie lost to 14th seed Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

After a tight first set which was decided by a tie-break, American Nakashima twice broke Norrie's serve in the second to reach the quarter-finals.

Evans, who won the tournament in 2023, fought back from 5-3 down and saved a match point to force a tie-break in the second set against Corentin Moutet but the Frenchman prevailed in straight sets, winning 6-2 7-6 (7-4).

Washington Open: Emma Raducanu beats Naomi Osaka but Cameron Norrie & Dan Evans lose in DC

Britain's Emma Raducana is through to the quarter-finals of the Washington Open after beating Naomi Osaka in straight sets but Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans lose.

www.bbc.com

 

[BouncerGuy]

Raducanu reaches semi-finals at Washington Open

Britain's Emma Raducanu recovered from 5-2 down in the second set to beat Maria Sakkari in straight sets at the Washington Open and reach her first semi-final of 2025.

The 22-year-old, who upset seventh seed Marta Kostyuk in the first round and overcame four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka on Thursday, beat her Greek opponent 6-4 7-5.

Raducanu will face Russian Anna Kalinskaya in the last four on Saturday as she bids to reach her first WTA final since winning the US Open in 2021.

If she beats Kalinskaya she could face Leylah Fernandez, who she beat in the US Open final, with the Canadian playing third seed Elena Rybakina in the other semi-final.

Raducanu told Sky Sports: "I've been doing a lot of good work. Little by little as you get results, you build confidence.

"But the amount of work I'm doing behind the scenes, to have that banked, you know you've done it. It takes a little bit of pressure off the results."

But Raducanu and playing partner Rybakina are out of the doubles after they retired from their semi-final while trailing 4-1 in the first set to second seeds Taylor Townsend and Zhang Shuai.

Emma Raducanu will replace Katie Boulter as British number one when the rankings are updated on Monday

Raducanu overcomes 'brutal' heat

In hot conditions in Washington DC, both Raducanu and Sakkari struggled to hold their serves in the opening set, with the Briton converting three of her six break points and her opponent two from four.

However, at 4-4, Raducanu struck the decisive blow, breaking Sakkari's serve for the third time before converting a second set point.

The 29-year-old Sakkari, runner-up at the tournament in 2023, had an opportunity to take the match into a decider after breaking serve in the sixth game of the second set and saving two break points for a 5-2 lead.

However, Raducanu roared back to win five consecutive games, including converting two of her five break points, to take the second set 7-5.

She received attention from a physio during the second set and later said she felt a "bit wobbly" due to the heat.

"It was brutal today," added Raducanu. "It was a long match, the first set was over an hour. You just have to enjoy suffering and leave it all out there on the court.

"Maria played an incredible match and the conditions really suit her with the liveliness of her game.

"I need to prepare [for the doubles] and get out of the heat. I felt a bit wobbly at the back end of the second set."

In the men's doubles, Britain's Neal Skupski and Australian partner John-Patrick Smith reached the semi-finals after coming back from a set down to upset fourth seeds Michael Venus and Yuki Bhambri 3-6 6-4 10-7.

Elsewhere, British number four Fran Jones will enter the top 100 in the WTA rankings on Monday for the first time in her career after reaching the semi-finals in Palermo.

The 24-year-old beat Hungary's Panna Udvardy 6-2 6-3 to set up a meeting with Tatiana Prozorova in the last four.

BBC

 

[BouncerGuy]

Raducanu misses out on Washington Open final

Britain's Emma Raducanu has been beaten 6-4 6-3 by Russia's Anna Kalinskaya in the semi-finals of the Washington Open.

The 22-year-old, whose run in the United States has ensured she will regain her British number one spot from Katie Boulter, served five aces early on, but could not convert any of her four break point opportunities.

Kalinskaya, ranked two places below Raducanu at 48th in the world, capitalised with a break in the ninth game on her way to clinching the first set.

The two exchanged early breaks in the second set before the 26-year-old Russian pulled ahead once more, taking a lead that proved decisive and breaking again to seal the win.

"It was an interesting match. It's nice to play against Emma," said Kalinskaya, who is aiming to win her first WTA 500 title. "I'm proud of myself. I stayed aggressive and stuck to my plan."

Kalinskaya will face Leylah Fernandez in Sunday's final after the Canadian edged out third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in an epic encounter that included three tie-breaks.

Fernandez, who Raducanu beat to win her US Open title in 2021, prevailed 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3) after three hours and 12 minutes.

In the men's event, Australia's Alex de Minaur secured a 6-4 6-3 semi-final victory over French lucky loser Corentin Moutet.

De Minaur will play Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the final, after the 12th seed defeated American fourth seed Ben Shelton 6-2 7-5.

BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Raducanu makes winning start in Montreal

British number one Emma Raducanu continued her fine form in North America with a routine win against Elena-Gabriela Ruse at the Canadian Open.

Having reached the semi-finals of the Washington Open last week, the 22-year-old carried that momentum into her match with Romania's Ruse, winning 6-2 6-4.

She will face 32nd seed American Peyton Stearns in the second round.

Raducanu has found her rhythm on the hard courts as she prepares for the US Open - the final Grand Slam of the year and the tournament she won in 2021 - in New York between 24 August and 7 September.

"Elena is a good friend of mine and it's difficult to play someone you know but I'm happy with how I put that to one side," Raducanu said on Sky Sports.

"It's also good to back up a good week last week in DC."

The Briton showed resilience in the early stages by staving off five break points in her opening service game.

She then wrapped up the opening set in style by winning five successive games.

After exchanging a couple of breaks in the second set, Raducanu - who also beat Ruse in Auckland in 2024 - found the crucial break to lead 5-4 and served out for the match.

Since losing against Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon earlier in July, Raducanu has bounced back strongly with four victories from five appearances on hard courts.

If she gets past Stearns in Montreal, American fifth seed and 2025 Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova could be waiting in the third round.

Canadian Open: Briton Emma Raducanu reaches second round as Katie Boulter exits

British number one Emma Raducanu continues her fine form in North America with a routine win against Elena-Gabriela Ruse at the Canadian Open, but Katie Boulter exits.

www.bbc.com