Emma Raducanu: Briton shrugs off foot injury to beat China’s Yue Yuan and make Korea Open quarter-finals

Emma Raducanu brushed off treatment for a suspected foot injury to defeat China’s Yue Yuan in straight sets 6-4 6-3 to progress to the Korea Open quarter-finals. 

After a nervy opening hold through deuce, Raducanu settled to earn the first break of the contest and move 2-1 ahead courtesy of some superb baseline play.

Yet Yuan showed guts to break straight back and then dug in to save break points for key holds to move 3-2 and then 4-3 up.

The next time Raducanu had the chance to break, she took it with aplomb via a crosscourt backhand winner, though, holding serve thereafter to claim the opening set 6-4 after medical treatment.

The Brit kicked on to break Yuan in the first game of the second set, holding and then breaking her Chinese opponent again for a commanding 3-0 advantage.

Yuan did break Raducanu back once, but the latter produced a tough hold through deuce to get to 4-2 and then broke Yuan again for 5-2, bringing up the chance to serve for the match.

Having failed to take four match points, Raducanu then had to save two break points before bringing up a fifth match point. Yuan hit a superb winner to avert it, though.

A third break point in the game then had to be saved by a Raducanu ace, bringing the game to a seventh deuce, only for a double fault to open the door for Yuan to finally break and end the game, crushing a forehand winner.

Raducanu was not to be denied, however, breaking Yuan to 15 in the Chinese player’s next service game to clinch her quarter-final place via her seventh match point opportunity.

Raducanu will next play the winner of the match between top seed Daria Kasatkina and American Hailey Baptiste for a place in the semi-finals in Seoul.

Raducanu: Key to victory was managing my frustration

Raducanu said courtside on Sky Sports Tennis:

“I think the key to my success today was trying to let go of any frustration.

“Closing out the match I had a lot of match points and couldn’t convert, so just staying focused and breaking in that last game.

“The crowd support meant a lot. I love playing in Korea and Seoul is one of my favourite cities.

“I find here the fans really get behind me and I find that particularly special.”

What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis in September?

• Korea Open – WTA 500 (September 16-22 – with Emma Raducanu in action)
• Thailand Open – WTA 250 (September 16-22)
• Chengdu Open – ATP 250 (September 17-24)
• Hangzhou Open – ATP 250 (September 18-24)
• Japan Open – ATP 500 (September 25-October 1)
• China Open – ATP 500 (September 26-October 2)
• China Open – WTA 1000 (September 25-October 6 – with Emma Raducanu in action)

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