Raducanu and Fernandez advance to the semis at the DC Open: Results and opponents

Raducanu Reaches DC Open Semifinals After Defeating Sakkari

Emma Raducanu achieved her best performance in the semifinals since her surprising US Open title in 2021, eliminating Maria Sakkari with a score of 6-4, 7-5 on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the DC Open. On a sweltering day with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit, Raducanu requested a medical timeout. This occurred while she was coming back in the last five games of the match after being down 5-2 in the second set.

I’d like to say I’m pretty good in the heat, for the most part, but today I was really struggling. It was one of the toughest matches, condition-wise, that I’ve played. Those points in the second set, I was wobbling a little bit. I’m glad I was able to close it out, and it was two sets.

Emma Raducanu

Leylah Fernandez, Raducanu’s runner-up at Flushing Meadows four years ago, also reached the semi-finals at the hard court tournament in Washington. Fernandez advanced with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over qualifier Taylor Townsend on Thursday. The next match for Fernandez will be against Elena Rybakina, 2022 Wimbledon champion and the highest remaining seed in the tournament, ranked number 3. Rybakina defeated Magdalena Frech, number 5, with a score of 6-3, 6-3. Raducanu’s opponent in the semi-finals on Saturday will be Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Clara Tauson, number 4, with a score of 6-3, 7-5.

Ben Shelton and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Advance to Semifinals in the Men’s Division

In the men’s action, Ben Shelton reached the semifinals of the DC Open for the second consecutive year, defeating Frances Tiafoe with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-4 in an all-American quarterfinal at night. Shelton won 90% of his first serve points and finished the match with his ninth ace, at 146 mph. Shelton, the fourth seed and two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, number 12, on Saturday for a place in the final. Davidovich Fokina defeated the number 1 seed, Taylor Fritz, with a score of 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-5 on Friday night. The other men’s semi-final will pit Alex de Minaur, number 7, against Corentin Moutet. De Minaur defeated Brandon Nakashima, number 14, with a score of 6-4, 6-4, and Moutet won 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 against Daniil Medvedev, US Open 2021 champion, in a match that was delayed approximately one hour at the end of the third set due to lightning in the area.