REPORT: Emma Raducanu left to rue double faults as Was…Read More

Paula Badosa defeated the British player in the Washington Open quarterfinal match by showing herself to be too strong.

Emma Raducanu’s run at the Washington Open came to an end in the quarter-finals when she lost to Paula Badosa in three sets.

The British 21-year-old looked on the brink of reaching her biggest semi-final since her US Open triumph three years ago when she led 3-1 in the third set. But former world No 2 Badosa battled back in sweltering temperatures to seal a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory in two and three-quarter hours.

Raducanu, who is still managing her comeback after wrist and ankle surgery, was playing the WTA 500 event after turning down the chance to compete for Team GB at the Paris Olympics.

She did not want 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 beaten Elise Mertens and Peyton Stearns in the American capital, Raducanu began aggressively against Badosa and secured a break of serve in the opening game.

Spaniard Badosa, with whom Raducanu practised 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.

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. But Badosa was gifted the break back for 3-3 when Raducanu double-faulted.