Emma Raducanu`s impressive run at the Queen`s Club tournament concluded in the quarter-finals. The top seed, Qinwen Zheng, proved too strong, securing a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Raducanu, who is set to officially become the British No. 1 player on Monday, had promising moments, including leads of 3-0 and 4-2 in the second set after taking a medical timeout. However, she was ultimately unable to overcome the accomplished Zheng.
Raducanu was the sole British participant remaining in the singles draw after Katie Boulter and Heather Watson were eliminated in the previous round (last 16). This tournament is a new WTA 500 event and marks the return of women`s tennis to Queen`s Club for the first time since 1973.
Speaking about her physical condition, Raducanu revealed, “I have been struggling with my back since Strasbourg, and it`s just been something that`s been on and off.”
She explained that playing multiple matches this week aggravated the issue: “I have been managing it pretty well over the last few weeks, but I guess as the week goes on and I have played five matches now, even if two were doubles, I think it just tests it out. And I just felt it as the load goes up.”
During the match, she received attention for her back: “They took me off court and taped it to give me some extra stability, and some painkillers.”
Raducanu acknowledged the recurring nature of the problem: “It has been lingering for the last few weeks and I have had back issues before. It`s just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it.”
Future Plans: Berlin or Not?
Looking ahead, Raducanu is uncertain about her participation in the Berlin tournament next week. Improving her ranking for a potential Wimbledon seeding (she is currently World No. 36) remains a factor in her decision.
She stated, “I need to think about that and see how it settles and recovers over the next few hours.” Raducanu also elaborated on her strategy for playing top opponents like Zheng: “I wanted to have exposure to the best and see how I fare up, see the ball that`s kind of coming my way so that if it were to happen in a Grand Slam, I would have some sort of rough idea. I`d say that was the reason.”
Raducanu feels her focus is shifting from purely ranking-based goals: “I think maybe my goals have slightly shifted from being seeded to actually improving my game, and when I play those top players, making it closer and feeling more competitive rather than just feeling, okay, I maybe get to the third round of a Slam but then lose comfortably to one of the top.”
She added, “I`d rather have a more competitive match, even if that means losing first round, second round, and I think that, to be honest, is how I feel right now.”
Zheng`s Path to the Semi-Finals
The match saw a close first set until the Chinese player, ranked World No. 5, secured a break to take a 4-2 lead. Zheng maintained her focus and claimed the opening set, despite slipping on the final point.
After Raducanu`s medical timeout before the second set, the momentum initially swung towards the Briton, who broke Zheng`s serve twice to go up 3-0. However, Zheng quickly regrouped, winning four consecutive games to level the set. She then took a 5-4 lead with a precise overhead smash.
Serving to stay in the match, Raducanu faced pressure and committed a double fault, giving Zheng three match points. Raducanu managed to save these initial opportunities, but the top seed ultimately secured the victory shortly after.
Following her win, Zheng humorously commented on her footing on the grass court: “I want to apologise for my shoes. I didn`t want to fall two times, but I just don`t know how to run on grass.” She added, “I still don`t know when I have to change the grass shoes. I think right now is the time, so it`s the new shoes. I feel much better to run.”
Reflecting on the match, she said, “It was a really difficult match for me, especially [because] she has got more experience than me on the grass court. I`m just really happy to get into the semi-final for the first time on grass.”
In other quarter-final results, qualifier Tatjana Maria caused an upset by defeating former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Maria, a 37-year-old mother of two, will now face Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the semi-finals. Keys advanced by coming back from a set down to beat Diana Shnaider 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Men`s Tournament Updates: Norrie and Evans Receive Wild Cards
For the men`s tournament taking place next week at Queen`s Club, Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans have been granted wild cards. However, the defending champion, Tommy Paul, has withdrawn due to an abdominal problem.
Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who was the finalist against Paul last year, will also miss the event as he continues recovering from a leg injury sustained during his French Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, who recently celebrated winning his fifth Grand Slam title in Paris, is expected to be the headline player at the event.
Joining Alcaraz in the draw will be former Queen`s finalist Cameron Norrie, whose ranking is improving after a strong clay-court season, experienced player Dan Evans, and fellow British player Billy Harris.
Jack Draper and Jacob Fearnley have direct entry into the main draw. Fearnley secured his spot partly due to withdrawals, which also include former champion Matteo Berrettini. Fearnley had previously been given a wild card but no longer needed it.
Jack Draper is currently at a career-high ranking of World No. 4, but he faces the challenge of maintaining this position leading up to Wimbledon. By choosing not to defend his title won in Stuttgart last year, Draper will drop ranking points. This means he is set to fall back below Novak Djokovic on Monday, and Taylor Fritz will also likely overtake him after reaching the semi-finals in Stuttgart.
The men`s Queen`s Club tournament is scheduled to begin in London on Monday, following the completion of this inaugural women`s event.
Stuttgart Open: Zverev, Shelton, and Fritz Advance to Semi-Finals
At the Stuttgart Open, top seed and local favourite Alexander Zverev defeated Brandon Nakashima 7-5, 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals. Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton also reached the last four.
Following his win, Zverev stated, “I`m in the semi-finals now and now I really want to focus on trying to do the best I can.”
He added, “I know the opponents are going to get tougher but I`m really happy on the court right now. I`m really happy in Stuttgart and I`m looking forward to the next two days.”
Zverev`s next opponent will be third seed Ben Shelton. The American secured his spot by defeating Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-4, powered by a strong first serve performance that included 18 aces.
Taylor Fritz also advanced, defeating Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-4. This was a reversal of their previous meeting in Stuttgart two years ago. Fritz has not dropped a set in the tournament so far.
While there were some extended baseline exchanges in the Fritz vs. Fucsovics match, Fritz`s serve was key, delivering 12 aces. His victory sets up a semi-final against Felix Auger-Aliassime, who advanced by defeating 17-year-old German Justin Engel 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.
Engel had earned his first professional grass court victory earlier in the week and followed it up with an upset over seventh seed Alex Michelsen, but defeating Auger-Aliassime proved too difficult for the young player.
Engel commented on his opponent`s performance, saying, “His serve was so incredibly good today that I felt pressure in my own service games.”
Despite the loss, he added, “But it was great fun playing in front of this crowd again. I can`t wait to play here again next year.”
