Emma Raducanu’s hopes of winning the Citi Open were ended by a defeat to Paula Badosa in the quarter-finals.
The 21-year-old made a promising start against her Spanish opponent as she took the first set 6-4, but Badosa sent the match to a decider with a hard-fought 7-5 success in the second set.
Raducanu took a 2-0 lead in the decisive set, yet Badosa fought back and eventually ended the British player’s challenge in Washington DC by securing victory with a 6-4 third-set triumph.
“I’m super happy,” Badosa said. “Emma played amazing, she took me to the limit and all of the places physically and mentally tennis-wise.
“I knew I had to play very aggressive, and in the beginning I was missing and knew I had to adjust, but she was also making me miss.
“She’s very fast. I’ve never played her before and it’s the first time I’ve experienced her, and I was surprised how smart she is on court and I really like how she plays.
“It was a very nice fight and I hope people enjoyed it.”
Raducanu, who is still managing her comeback following wrist and ankle surgery, was playing the WTA 500 event after turning down the chance to compete for Team GB at the Paris Olympics, not wanting to switch back to the Roland Garros clay ahead of her return to the US Open, the scene of her memorable win in 2021.
Having already accounted for Elise Mertens and Peyton Stearns in the American capital, Raducanu began aggressively against Badosa and secured a break of serve in the opening game.
Badosa, with whom Raducanu practised and went out for lunch with prior to the tournament, stayed in the rest of the first set but could not fashion a single break point. Raducanu, looking full of confidence on serve, took her third set point to wrap up the opener in 49 minutes.
When Badosa finally got a look at a break point early in the second, Raducanu snuffed out the danger with an ace down the middle. But Badosa was applying the scoreboard pressure and at 6-5 she turned up the heat, converting a third set point when Raducanu netted.
Raducanu missed the Olympics to prepare for her US Open return
After the temperature soared to 36C, the players were afforded a five-minute break before Raducanu emerged to immediately secure a break at the start of the decider. Yet Badosa was gifted the break back for 3-3 when a tight Raducanu double-faulted.
Badosa saved three break points in the next, the second with a second-serve ace, and with all the momentum appearing to be on her side of the net she broke for 5-3.
But Raducanu, Britain’s only remaining active player to win a Grand Slam singles title following Andy Murray’s retirement, had other ideas and saved a match point with a nerveless winner down the line before breaking back.
However, a match which deserved a better ending finished when a tiring Raducanu double-faulted on Badosa’s second match point.
Badosa now faces Caroline Dolehide in the semi-finals after the American beat compatriot Amanda Anisimova 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 in their last-eight clash.
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