Emma Raducanu is back! Downs Maria Sakkari in DC Open thriller to reach semifinals

Emma Raducanu secured a commanding victory against Maria Sakkari, advancing to the semifinals of the DC Open. The former US Open champion delivered a dominant first set and then came back from 2-5 down in the second, winning five consecutive games before closing out the victory 6-4, 7-5.

Sakkari had arrived inspired after a couple of wins that restored her confidence following a year away from the top spotlight. The Greek had fallen in less than a year from the top 10 to her current world No. 90, with results that certainly haven't made her too comfortable.

However, in DC, she had achieved victories against top-level rivals like Katie Boulter and Emma Navarro (2nd seed), securing consecutive wins for the first time in almost three months.

On Raducanu's side, she has been showing consistency in recent months, which has kept her more regularly in the top 50 and in a close fight for British No. 1 with Boulter and Sonay Kartal. The former US Open champion also overcame a couple of tough matches against 7th seed Marta Kostyuk and then Naomi Osaka, showing good confidence in her return to the USA.

First Set: Raducanu fights back to take early lead

The first set began with Sakkari serving well and then securing a tight game on the return, getting the first break and an early 2-0 lead. It was short-lived, as Raducanu quickly reacted by breaking back and leveling the score on her serve at 2-2.

Most of the games were widely contested, with break points for both players. At 3-3, Raducanu took the lead with a break, but in the next game, it was Sakkari who reacted to the onslaught of the British former world No. 1. In the final part of the set, Raducanu capitalized on the momentum under tension and secured a second consecutive break, closing out the set 6-4 in her favor.

Second Set: Raducanu's stunning five-game comeback

The second set started contested, with both players defending their serves well. However, it was Sakkari's moment to take the lead. The former No. 3 served to go up 3-2 and then secured a break in a disputed game after four deuces. With the advantage on her side, Sakkari had a good service game and went up 5-2, just one game away from taking the set.

However, the final part of the set changed notably, with Raducanu energized by the crowd and with great confidence in her shots. Several good service games and capitalizing on Sakkari's second serve problems were key to turning around a seemingly lost set. Raducanu was effective at the most important moment, winning five consecutive games and closing out the victory 6-4, 7-5.

Upcoming Semifinal: Kalinskaya vs. Tauson Set to Battle for Final Spot

The opponent for the semifinals is yet to be determined. In the next match – around 6:00 PM local time – Anna Kalinskaya will take on 4th seed Clara Tauson. They currently have two previous encounters, with a head-to-head of 1-1. However, they have not yet faced each other on hardcourts.

The Russian comes from a couple of convincing victories against Kamila Rakhimova (6-2, 6-3) and 8th seed Magda Linette (6-4, 6-0). In good form, she has secured nine breaks in two matches and has only had her serve broken once.

On the other hand, Tauson continues to show her consistency throughout the year and started by winning a tough battle against local Caroline Dolehide (3-6, 7-5, 6-4). The Dane has rarely fallen to lower-ranked players throughout the season, but a confident Kalinskaya has a much higher level than her No. 43 ranking suggests.

Match Statistics Raducanu vs. Sakkari