Raducanu upsets Pegula in Eastbourne for first top 10 win

Emma Raducanu saved a match point as she upset second seed Jessica Pegula 4-6, 7-6 (6), 7-5 to reach the last eight of the Eastbourne Open, her first win over a top 10 player.

The former US Open champion, who has missed much of the past two years through injuries, was broken twice when serving for the match but came from 0-40 down in the last game to seal the win.

“I’m really pleased to have been able to navigate some difficult situations,” Raducanu said. “I didn’t think I would be able to, so it’s one of my more meaningful wins. I’ve been going through some stuff off court so I’m very pleased to get the win.”

Raducanu, ranked No 168, will face the winner of the match between Russian Daria Kasatkina, the No 6 seed, and Chinese Yue Yuan next.

Pegula, the winner in Berlin last week, led by a set and 2-0 had a match point in the second-set tiebreak but couldn’t get over the line. Raducanu raced ahead 5-2 in the third, but was pegged back for 5-5 before breaking again and this time holding serve to claim her first WTA top 10 win.

The Briton beat American Sloane Stephens (6-4, 6-0) in the previous round of the Eastbourne tournament.

Eastbourne WTA 500, other last 16 results (Devonshire Park Lawn Club, grass, USD 922.573, most recent results first):

• Jasmine Paolini (3) beat Elise Mertens: 5-2 ret.
• Daria Kasatkina vs. Yue Yuan: wednesday
• Harriet Dart (WC) beat Sofia Kenin (LL): 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-0
• Leylah Fernandez beat Ashlyn Krueger (Q): 6-2, 6-1
• Katie Boulter beat Jelena Ostapenko (5): 6-4, 7-5
• Karolina Muchova beat Magda Linette (Q): 6-4, 6-1
• Madison Keys (4) beat Anhelina Kalinina (Q): 7-6 (5), 6-1