Confident Emma Raducanu Battles Past Searing Heat to Reach DC Open Semi-Finals

SME News UK. Emma Raducanu produced a resilient display in sweltering conditions to defeat world No. 9 Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5 and book her place in the semi-finals of the DC Open.In her first tournament since Wimbledon, the 21-year-old Briton continued her strong run in Washington, adding Sakkari to a growing list of scalps that already includes seventh seed Marta Kostyuk and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.Speaking after the match, Raducanu credited her recent progress to the hard work being done behind the scenes:”I think it’s been building since Miami. I’ve been doing a lot of good work and little by little, as you get a few results, you build confidence and it helps. Knowing I’ve put in the work behind the scenes takes a bit of pressure off the results,” she said.Under temperatures soaring above 30°C, the match tested both players physically and mentally. After edging a tight first set with a crucial break at 4-4, Raducanu found herself 2-5 down in the second before reeling off five consecutive games to seal a dramatic straight-sets win.”It was brutal today,” Raducanu admitted. “Maria played an incredible match and these conditions really suit her. I’m just happy to have toughed it out. At a certain point it becomes mental—you just have to enjoy the suffering and leave it all on the court.”The victory sets up a semi-final clash against either fourth seed Clara Tauson or Anna Kalinskaya as Raducanu continues her build-up to the US Open, where she memorably won her maiden Grand Slam title in 2021.With three impressive victories already in the bag this week, the British star looks poised for a potential breakthrough summer on the hard courts.