Emma Raducanu`s impressive journey to the Miami Open quarter-finals was halted by fourth seed Jessica Pegula.
The American tennis player overcame a strong comeback attempt from Raducanu, securing a hard-fought victory with scores of 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2.
The British player had several opportunities to seize control of the match but was unable to capitalize on them.
Raducanu managed to convert only one out of six break point chances against Pegula`s strong serve. Despite a resilient second set performance that forced a deciding set, she couldn`t maintain the momentum against Pegula in the final set.
Despite this loss, Raducanu`s quarter-final appearance in Miami marks her best tournament result since her remarkable US Open victory in 2021.
Raducanu demonstrated her power by winning the second set, although she appeared to struggle with Miami`s high humidity, which reached 70 percent.
Showing signs of physical strain and overheating, Raducanu faced five set points on Pegula`s serve but couldn`t convert them. Pegula then held serve, closing the gap to 5-4.
At this point, medical staff checked Raducanu`s blood pressure and pulse, and a medical timeout was called by the chair umpire. Medical personnel applied ice packs to Raducanu`s legs and placed cold towels around her neck.
Raducanu: “I’m really proud of myself – heat made me feel dizzy”
In a post-match interview, Raducanu said:
“I’m really proud of how I fought and competed throughout the match. Jessica played exceptionally well from beginning to end, demonstrating her high level, especially towards the end.”
“Although I lost today, I can take away positive aspects from this week and look forward. It was a challenging path, and I played some excellent tennis to reach this stage. It was good to experience that feeling of playing well again.”
“I think that feeling has been missing, and rediscovering the fighting spirit and competitiveness within myself this week was refreshing and enjoyable to feel on the court again.”
“I felt very dizzy before the medical timeout and felt faint. The humidity was very high, and after a long wait, it might have been a combination of factors.”
“There were also physically demanding points with extended rallies in tough conditions. I`m unsure how I managed to regroup in the second set, but I definitely struggled more in the third.”
“I`m uncertain about my next steps. I think I need to pause, reassess my plans. This week was beneficial, but I need to figure things out and create a plan moving forward.”
Pegula acknowledged Raducanu`s performance in her post-match comments, stating: “It was a tough match. I played well in the first set, had a slight dip in the second, recovered, and was up 2-0 in the tie-break, but momentum shifted.”
“She began moving the ball effectively and serving well. Sometimes that’s just how it goes. I wanted to start the third set very strongly, very quickly, and take control to prevent the set from being too close.”
Pegula is set to compete against 19-year-old wild card entrant Alexandra Eala in the semi-finals, following Eala`s surprising victory over world No. 2 Iga Swiatek with scores of 6-2, 7-5 in their quarter-final match.
In the men`s tournament, there was also an unexpected result as top seed Alexander Zverev was defeated by French 17th seed Arthur Fils.
Zverev appeared comfortable in the first set, but Fils turned the tide, securing a surprising 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win in just over two hours.
Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria prevailed over Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina in a three-set match that lasted almost three hours.
Henman: “Raducanu fought so hard – so many positives to take forward”
Tim Henman`s analysis:
“I believe Emma was simply defeated by a superior player. She competed fiercely, with very close first two sets. Her performance to win the second set was commendable.”
“She seemed slightly fatigued but became more aggressive, aiming to shorten points and take the initiative against Pegula.”
“After winning the second set, you could sense an opportunity. However, Pegula utilized her hard-court expertise and elevated her game, deserving credit for reaching the semi-finals.”
“Undoubtedly, Raducanu will gain numerous positives from her Miami run. When Raducanu plays at this level, her tennis ability is evident, and her improved movement, especially defensively, has been remarkable.”
“Stringing together these victories will significantly boost her confidence. Continuing her work in the gym and on the track, these wins will likely become more consistent on the tournament stage.”
