Washington, July 26(HS): Emma Raducanu has reached the semifinals of the DC Open, marking her biggest tournament since her 2021 US Open triumph. She secured her spot by defeating Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5 in a tough quarterfinal match, overcoming a challenging heatwave. After trailing 2-5 in the second set and taking a medical timeout, Raducanu rallied to win five consecutive games. She remarked on the difficulties of playing in such conditions but expressed satisfaction in finishing the match in straight sets. Canada's Leylah Fernandez also advanced, defeating Taylor Townsend 6-4, 7-6 (4), and will face Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. Raducanu's opponent will be Anna Kalinskaya, who progressed by beating Clara Tauson 6-3, 7-5.

In the men's singles, Ben Shelton made it to the semifinals for the second year in a row, winning against Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (2), 6-4. Shelton's next match will be against either Taylor Fritz or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The second men's semifinal features Alex De Minaur, who triumphed over Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-4, facing Corentin Moutet, who overcame Daniil Medvedev in a thrilling match. The upcoming semifinal matchups promise high excitement with both young talent and experienced players in contention.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar