Under intense heat in Washington DC, both Raducanu and Sakkari found it challenging to maintain their service games in the initial set. The British player successfully capitalized on three out of six breakpoint opportunities, while her opponent managed to convert two out of four.
Nevertheless, with the score at 4-4, Raducanu landed a significant blow, breaking Sakkari’s serve for the third time before successfully securing a second set point.
Sakkari, aged 29 and the tournament’s runner-up in the prior year, had a chance to extend the match to a third set after achieving a service break in the sixth game of the second set and then defending two break points to establish a 5-2 advantage.
However, Raducanu responded strongly, securing victory in five consecutive games, including converting two out of her five break points, ultimately clinching the second set with a score of 7-5.
During the second set, she received medical attention from a physiotherapist and later mentioned feeling somewhat “unsteady” due to the high temperature.
“It was exceptionally tough out there today,” Raducanu commented. “The match was lengthy, with the first set lasting over an hour. You simply have to embrace the difficulty and give your all on the court.”
“Maria performed exceptionally well, and the conditions really complement her style of play, given the energy she brings to the game.”
“I need to get ready for the doubles event and escape the heat. I started feeling a bit faint towards the end of the second set.”
In the men’s doubles competition, Neal Skupski of Britain and his Australian partner John-Patrick Smith advanced to the semi-finals after rallying from a set down to defeat the fourth-seeded pair of Michael Venus and Yuki Bhambri with a score of 3-6, 6-4, 10-7.
Separately, Fran Jones, the British number four, is set to break into the top 100 of the WTA rankings on Monday, marking a career milestone, following her progression to the semi-finals in Palermo.
The 24-year-old triumphed over Panna Udvardy of Hungary with a score of 6-2, 6-3, securing her place in the final four against Tatiana Prozorova.
