Emma Raducanu says she is embracing the Tour’s ‘unforgiving schedule’ after sealing her spot in the quarter-finals of the Washington Open.
The British world No.46 is currently experiencing a lift in her form, which began during the grass swing. At the Queen’s Club in London, she reached the last eight before losing to top seed Qinwen Zheng. Then at Wimbledon, she reached the third round before losing to Aryna Sabalenka in two tightly contested sets.
Raducanu’s latest win was on the Washington hardcourts, where she beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2, on Thursday. Earlier in the tournament, she also knocked out seventh seed Marta Kostyuk in straight sets.
“I’m really pleased with how I’m tracking, how I’m building,” Raducanu told tennis.com. “My goal, it’s kind of gone away from result-orientated goals and just enjoying each day and trying to bank as many good ones as possible in a row and not let a bad day kind of creep in, or if a bad morning session, like trying to regain it straightaway.”
Elaborating further, Raducanu says she is more composed on the court, which has also helped her perform better. In recent weeks, she has been working with Mark Petchey, but as it currently stands, he has ruled himself out of having a permanent role due to other ongoing commitments. Another member of her team, hitting partner Alexis Canter, is currently in Washington with her.
“I think when I watch myself now, I really like how I look on the court,” she said. “Not in like a narcissistic way! I mean in terms of energy, and I think I feel quite upbeat. The pink outfit is pretty cute as well.
“I think it’s more I look composed on the court. I feel composed. I think that’s a product of just the amount of work I’m doing behind the scenes that maybe people don’t see. I love that, I love banking it in, doing everything in the shadows.
“I feel pretty calm, because I know regardless of the result I’m doing the right things, and I’m banking so many good days in a row and trying to keep a streak going. It’s working really well. It takes a bit of pressure off the immediate result in the matches.”
Raducanu’s next match at the Citi Open will be against Greece’s Maria Sakkari, who has already beaten second seed Emma Navarro in the tournament. A win will move her into the semi-finals of a WTA event for only the third time since she won the US Open in 2021. The last time she reached the last four of a hardcourt event was almost three years ago at the Korean Open.
“Results are so fleeting. Even if you win the US Open, you’re great for about a few days, and then straight back to it, straight back to work,” she said.
“It’s such an unforgiving schedule that there is a tournament every single week. Even if you win a Grand Slam and you lose, you know, because you’re tired the next week, you still feel bad because you lost.
“Yeah, it’s weird, but now that’s just my goal, to keep putting these good days of work in and keep collecting them. I have done a really good job of that.”
Raducanu hasn’t won a title since her US Open triumph.
