SEOUL: Emma Raducanu moved into the Korea Open quarter-finals and faces a potential match-up with number-one seed Daria Kasatkina after beating China’s Yuan Yue 6-4, 6-3 on Thursday.
Britain’s Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, took a medical time-out in the first set to get her foot strapped but she returned to oust number-eight seed Yuan on her seventh match point.
The 21-year-old Raducanu, ranked 70th in the world, faces either Russia’s Kasatkina, the world number 13, or American Hailey Baptiste in her next match.
“I think the key to my success today was trying to let go of any frustration that happened,” said Raducanu.
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“Closing out the match I had a lot of match points I couldn’t convert, so just staying focused and breaking in that last game.”
Raducanu, who is unseeded, has failed to build on her stunning US Open success but she is looking to make an impact in Seoul.
The tournament has been hit by a string of last-minute withdrawals, including world number one Iga Swiatek, US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina.
Raducanu came through a gruelling opening match in Seoul against American Peyton Stearns, and she was again forced to prove her physical mettle against Yuan, last year’s beaten finalist.
Raducanu broke Yuan’s serve early in the first set but she gave up the advantage in the very next game.
Raducanu again broke her opponent to serve for the first set, and this time she got the job done despite the medical interruption.
Raducanu started the second set with intensity, breaking Yuan twice to take the first three games.
Yuan regained the momentum but Raducanu held firm despite a few late wobbles to close out the win.
Joining Raducanu in the quarter-finals is number-three seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, who beat Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-4.
Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova also progressed after American opponent Amanda Anisimova retired while 7-5, 4-1 down in the second set.
Anisimova took a medical time-out after struggling with the heat and was visibly distressed in the break between sets.
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