TENNIS - EMMA Raducanu cruised into the quarter-finals at the Queen’s Club Championships with a 6-4 6-1 victory over Rebecca Sramkova yesterday but fellow Britons Katie Boulter and Heather Watson were knocked out.
The stands at the Andy Murray Arena were packed for Raducanu’s victory as she became the lone Briton left in the tournament and will next play top seed and Paris Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen.
Raducanu raced into a 5-0 lead as the 22-year-old looked at ease on the grass but Sramkova saved two set points in the sixth game, finding her range in a comeback that quickly gathered pace.
The Slovak won four games on the trot as Raducanu’s winners dried up but the Briton then recovered and served to love to seal the opening set, flashing a sheepish smile at her team as she walked back to her seat.
Raducanu took confidence from her first serve and started the second set as she did the first, racing into a 4-0 lead after quickly consolidating a double break when Sramkova made a slew of errors.
Raducanu then won the contest by converting a sixth break point, with victory confirming the former U.S. Open champion’s status as the British number one again, leapfrogging her doubles partner Boulter.
“I don’t think it was my cleanest performance, but I’m really happy to have pushed through in some tight moments that decided the first set,” Raducanu said.
“It was really helpful ... to have a big roar of support to get me through that last service game. So I appreciate that.”
Meanwhile, Russian fifth seed Diana Shnaider fought back from a set down to beat Boulter 2-6 6-3 6-2 to set up a quarter-final with Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
“Katie is such a lovely person, I love her with all my heart. To play her and beat her in front of her home crowd, I am so sorry,” Shnaider said.
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