Emma Raducanu advanced to the Queen’s semi-finals, securing her spot alongside fellow British player Katie Boulter, after defeating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3 7-5 despite an injury concern.
The top-ranked British player needed to leave the court during the second set for medical attention, following a slip on the grass surface as she tried to alter her movement.
Upon her return to Andy Murray Arena, her left thigh visibly bandaged, Raducanu conceded her serve, finding it challenging to recover the rhythm she possessed prior to her tumble.
As her coaching staff offered vocal encouragement, the victor of the 2021 US Open was compelled to summon considerable resilience, given her adversary’s efforts to capitalize on the situation.
The British player recovered her composure, breaking Rakhimova’s serve to establish a 5-4 lead; however, she was unable to finalize the win on her subsequent serve, as the Uzbek competitor of Russian origin mounted a comeback.
Nonetheless, she secured another break against Rakhimova and ultimately cemented her spot in the semi-finals on her third opportunity to close the match.
“It proved quite challenging; she exhibited some truly impressive tennis and retrieved numerous shots,” Raducanu commented to BBC TV. “The contest was quite unpredictable, and I am genuinely appreciative of the backing I received during difficult phases.”
“The fall was difficult to endure; I felt I was performing well in the match, and gathering myself again was hard, but I am proud of how I managed it, thanks to the assistance from everyone present.”
“Having two players from Britain reach the semi-finals is remarkable for British tennis and represents a significant accomplishment. It’s wonderful to witness, and I extend my best wishes to Katie.”
The twenty-three-year-old is scheduled to compete again later on Saturday against American adolescent Iva Jovic, vying for a spot in Sunday’s championship match, simultaneously, Boulter will play Croatia’s Donna Vekic.
Raducanu secured her initial victory against a player ranked in the top 20 in more than a year by overcoming Romanian world number 18 Sorana Cirstea on Friday; however, her quarter-final match could not commence yesterday evening.
After losing her serve in the third game opposing Rakhimova, Raducanu assumed dominance in the contest subsequent to a peculiar halt in play.
While attempting to conclude her service game at 40-0, Raducanu repeatedly had to postpone her serve due to the sound of military planes participating in the King’s Trooping the Colour aerial display over central London.
As soon as the Red Arrows completed their passage above the west London venue, Raducanu swiftly finished her service game and confidently progressed through the remainder of the opening set.
She has not dropped a single set throughout the competition thus far, but is now confronted with the challenge of needing to secure victories in two separate matches within a single day to prolong her impressive performance this week.
