Great Britain’s Emma Raducanu moved through to the quarter-finals at the Korea Open by beating China’s Yue Yuan in straight sets. Raducanu, 21, seized control of the match by winning six successive games to wrap up the opening set and then take charge of the second.
The 2021 US Open champion, ranked 70th in the world, eventually took her seventh match point to win 6-4 6-3 and reach the last eight in Seoul. Raducanu will play Daria Kasatkina for a place in the semi-finals on Friday after the Russian top seed beat American Hailey Baptiste 6-4 6-2.
“I think these courts suit [Kasatkina] because they bounce quite a bit,” Raducanu said. “But for me, every time I get exposure to that top level of opponent, it’s invaluable. It allows me to build confidence. It’s a match where I don’t really have anything to lose.”
Yue, the world number 40, recovered an early break in the opening set but Raducanu landed another blow in the ninth game before taking her first set point on serve. Having come from 4-3 behind in the first set, Raducanu maintained her momentum at the start of the second, establishing a 3-0 advantage with a quick-fire double break either side of holding serve to love.
The Briton’s charge to the finish line was slowed as Yue reduced the deficit to 3-2; but, with her opponent growing in confidence, Raducanu saved a break point to hold serve in a crucial sixth game. After breaking Yue’s serve for a third time in the set, Raducanu was unable to take any of her first five match points as she attempted to serve out the contest, before Yue clinched her fourth break point in an epic eighth game.
Unfazed, Raducanu recovered from that frustration to complete a hard-fought victory on Yue’s serve.
