Britain’s Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, and Harriet Dart were all eliminated in the quarter-finals at Eastbourne, marking a disappointing end for the historic trio in the tournament.
Britain’s Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter, and Harriet Dart all faced disappointment in the quarter-finals at Eastbourne, marking the first time since 1978 that three British women had reached this stage of the tournament. However, their journeys ended as they succumbed to their respective opponents in the windy conditions.
Emma Raducanu, who has recently spoken about her “rekindled” love for tennis after undergoing wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023, was defeated 6-2, 6-2 by Russian sixth seed Daria Kasatkina.
Despite showing promising form during the grass-court season, including a notable victory over world number five Jessica Pegula, Raducanu struggled to adapt to the blustery conditions. Kasatkina, who displayed a consistent and focused performance, broke Raducanu six times throughout the match.
The Russian sealed the first set with her sixth set point and continued her dominance in the second set, effectively ending British hopes in the women’s singles. “The conditions were very tough, and I tried to win as many points as I could,” Kasatkina remarked post-match, setting up a semi-final clash against Italian third seed Jasmine Paolini.
Katie Boulter, who entered her quarter-final match in excellent form and is set to be seeded for the first time at Wimbledon, faced a challenging encounter against Jasmine Paolini. Boulter, who had recently won a grass-court title in Nottingham, struggled with her ball toss and committed multiple double faults, leading to her 6-1, 7-6 (7-0) defeat.
Despite her best efforts to regain composure, Boulter was broken early in the first set and failed to recover. In the second set, she managed to level the score at 4-4 but ultimately lost in a tie-break to love. Paolini’s consistent play and ability to capitalize on Boulter’s errors proved decisive in her victory.
Harriet Dart, the third British woman in the quarter-finals, faced Canadian Leylah Fernandez. Dart was overpowered in a 6-2, 6-1 defeat that lasted just 67 minutes. Fernandez, the runner-up to Raducanu at the 2021 US Open, showcased her superior ranking and skill despite losing her first service game.
The Canadian, ranked 75 places higher than Dart at number 30, advanced with ease and will face defending champion Madison Keys in the semi-finals. Keys advanced after French Open finalist Karolina Muchova withdrew due to a right wrist injury.
In the men’s event, Britain’s Billy Harris provided a glimmer of hope by reaching his first ATP Tour semi-final. Harris overcame Italian Flavio Cobolli with a hard-fought 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 victory. His perseverance and determination saw him through a challenging match, earning him a spot in the last four and highlighting his potential on the ATP Tour.
The tournament at Eastbourne has seen a mix of highs and lows for British tennis, with Raducanu, Boulter, and Dart all showing moments of promise despite their defeats. As they look forward to Wimbledon, there is optimism that they can build on their experiences and continue to progress in their careers.
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