Emma Raducanu crashes out of Citi Open in late Paula Badosa collapse after Olympics snub
Emma Raducanu has been beaten after an epic clash with Spain's Paula Badosa.
Emma Raducanu has been beaten by Paula Badosa after blowing a big chance to make the semi-finals of the Citi Open in Washington. The 21-year-old was beaten 4-6 7-5 6-4, and was left ruing a series of missed chances in the deciding set.
Raducanu chose to play in America instead of taking part in the Olympics in Paris.
And her snub had appeared to be paying off after she beat Elise Mertens and Peyton Stearns to make the last-eight.
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And the British No.3 continued her good form in the early stages against Badosa, taking the first set. But at 5-5 in the second, her Spanish opponent upped the ante to break serve when it mattered and level the match.
Raducanu was them seemingly in control in the third though, breaking to go 3-2 up and set to consolidate that when she led 40-0. However, she somehow contrived to lose the game, and then was later broken again in her next service game to find herself 3-5 down and on the brink of defeat.
Still, the drama wasn't done there, as Raducanu saved a match point before taking the next two to hit back. At that point, the momentum seemed back with the 2021 US Open champion, as she served to square matters.
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But at 40-15 up, she suffered another mini-collapse. After Badosa hit back to earn another match point, Raducanu could only produce a double fault to end matters.
Afterwards the Spaniard, 26, did praise her beaten opponent. "Emma played so well," she said. "She really tested me physically and mentally out there."
Raducanu's world ranking is now set to rise despite the defeat. She went into the tournament as the world No.89, after reaching the last-16 at Wimbledon last month.
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Ahead of the WTA 500 event in Washington, Raducanu had cited the clay surface in Paris as her reason for opting not to play for an Olympic medal. "Had the Olympics been on a different surface, then I don't know," she said.
"It's obviously something that every athlete wants to be a part of. I had to think longer term. Hopefully I'll have more Olympics in my career. I think coming here was 100 per cent the right option."
