Key Highlights
- Emma Raducanu advances to Transylvania Open semi-finals with commanding victories.
- Sonay Kartal exits Abu Dhabi Open quarter-finals after losing 10 consecutive games.
- Katie Boulter reaches Ostrava Open semi-finals, facing Katie Volynets in the final round.
Raducanu Storms Through Transylvania
Emma Raducanu is on a roll. The 23-year-old British player has once again proven why she’s one of the top players in women’s tennis, storming into the semi-finals of the Transylvania Open with ease. Her victory over Poland’s Maja Chwalinska was nothing short of impressive.
Raducanu started off by securing a 6-0, 6-4 win, despite facing some resistance from her lower-ranked opponent in the second set.
This is just the fourth time Raducanu has reached this stage since her US Open triumph five years ago. “I’m very happy with my performance today. I played a great match from the beginning,” she said after the game.
Her win comes as part of a broader resurgence, following a tough second-round exit at the Australian Open in January. Since then, Raducanu has hired Michael Joyce to help her freshen up her game and seems determined to make it count. “As always there’s some moments of adversity you have to overcome and I did that well in the second set,” she added.
Kartal’s Abu Dhabi Exit
On a less positive note, Sonay Kartal had an exit from the Abu Dhabi Open quarter-finals. The British player lost 10 consecutive games to Sara Bejlek, ending her hopes of advancing further in the tournament. This defeat is part of a pattern; Kartal has lost three out of four quarter-finals on the WTA Tour since winning her only title at the Jasmin Open in 2024.
Bejlek, ranked 40 places below Kartal, made quick work of the British player. “She lost the first set in just 22 minutes and failed to hold serve until her sixth service game,” Emily Salley from BBC Sport reported. Despite getting back into the match, breaking Bejlek’s serve at 4-2, Kartal couldn’t maintain her momentum.
Bejlek will face Danish third seed Clara Tauson in the semi-finals on Friday, marking another step up for the Czech player who has been making a name for herself in recent tournaments.
Boulter Advances to Ostrava
In other news from the women’s circuit, Katie Boulter is back on her game. The 29-year-old British player triumphed over Linda Fruhvirtova in the Ostrava Open quarter-finals with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory. This marks her first semi-final appearance since winning the Paris Challenger title last May.
After struggling for consistency throughout the year, Boulter split with her long-term coach Biljana Veselinovic and brought in Michael Joyce to help revamp her game. “It’s a significant achievement given how she’s been performing,” said Elizabeth Botcherby from BBC Sport.
Now, she will face American world number 96 Katie Volynets for the right to compete in the final.
With these results, tennis fans are starting to see some of their favorite players making their mark once again. As Raducanu and Boulter continue to push forward, it’s clear that the season is shaping up to be an exciting one for women’s tennis.