Washington Open: Raducanu reaches semi-finals for the first time since June 2024

Emma Raducanu Signals a Return to Top Form. She reached the last four of the Washington Open by winning against Greek wildcard Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5 at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on Friday evening.

Emma Raducanu has confirmed her resurgence on the WTA Tour. For the first time since the Nottingham tournament in June 2024, the British player has reached this stage of competition. After showing promising form during the grass-court season, Raducanu is proving she’ll be just as tough to beat on hard courts.

Yet, things didn’t start well for her, she was broken in just the second game of the match. But she quickly recovered, leveling the score at 2-2. After trading breaks once again with Maria Sakkari, it was Raducanu who came out on top, landing the decisive break at 4-4.

Raducanu Pulls Off Impressive Comeback

In the second set, Sakkari came within a game of forcing a decider, leading 5-2. But Raducanu capitalized on her opponent’s lack of confidence and a flurry of unforced errors — 40 in total — to mount a remarkable comeback, winning the final five games of the match.

Raducanu, ranked No 46, will play the winner of the match between Russian Anna Kalinskaya and Dane Clara Tauson, the No 4 seed, next.

Ahead of her victory, the 22-year-old Englishman defeated Japanese wildcard Naomi Osaka (6-4, 6-2) and Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk, the No 7 seed (7-6 (4), 6-4).

Sakkari, ranked No 90, won against American Emma Navarro, the second seed (7-5, 7-6 (1)) and Englishwoman Katie Boulter (6-3, 6-4) earlier in the tournament.

Washington WTA 500, other quarter-finals results (William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, hard, USD 1.282.951, most recent results first):

• Anna Kalinskaya vs. Clara Tauson
• Elena Rybakina vs. Magdalena Frech
• Leylah Fernandez vs. Taylor Townsend: friday