Emma Raducanu continued her return to type as she reached the semi-finals of the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington with a straight-sets victory over Maria Sakkari on Friday.
The British No 1 got here from a break down within the second set to beat her Greek opponent 6-4 7-5 and arrange a gathering with both fourth seed Clara Tauson or Anna Kalinskaya within the last 4.
Raducanu had reclaimed her spot because the top-ranked British girl from Katie Boulter on Thursday when she beat two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka.
The win takes Raducanu to her first WTA Tour-level semi-final in over a yr as she continues her preparations for subsequent month’s US Open, the place she gained on debut again in 2021.
It arrived on the most popular day of the event as temperatures reached the center 90s, not helped by a back-and-forth contest that took two hours and 10 minutes.
“It was brutal right now, because of everyone for popping out and sitting within the warmth,” mentioned Raducanu of the warmth in her on-court interview.
“If you do not have the skills your physique will fail you, however sooner or later it turns into psychological. The primary set was over an hour, it was psychological, you need to take pleasure in struggling, as dangerous as that sounds, and depart all of it out on the courtroom till you drop.
“I felt just a little bit wobbly on the again finish of the second set.”
Raducanu discovered herself trailing 0-2 within the opening set after two double faults, earlier than the Brit reeled off the following three video games to take management of the match.
An important break got here at 4-4 to pave the way in which for her to serve out for the set.
It was Sakkari once more who began the brighter within the second set, as a lot being underlined when she transformed a fourth break level to steer 4-2 after seeing Raducanu hearth her forehand lengthy.
Raducanu sought a direct response solely to squander two break level alternatives, with Sakkari producing two aces to depart herself inside one recreation of sending the match to a decider.
With doubles on the horizon later within the day, Raducanu needed no a part of a three-set epic. The 22-year-old held to shut the hole, earlier than then changing a fourth break level to claw her approach again to 5-4 whereas on serve.
Raducanu then acquired therapy in between video games because the physio was referred to as to examine her coronary heart charge, such had been the scorching situations in Washington.
However she would not be deterred, holding to like to stage the set at 5-5 after which clinching the following two video games to finish a shocking turnaround.
“I feel it is (her confidence) been constructing since Miami, I have been doing plenty of good work and little by little as you get a couple of outcomes you construct some confidence,” she added.
“Additionally the quantity of labor I am doing behind the scenes, having that within the locker you recognize you’ve got completed it and it takes some stress off the outcomes.
“Maria performed an unbelievable match, these situations actually swimsuit her so I am comfortable to have toughed it out.”
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