Emma Raducanu’s impressive run at Queen’s Club came to end in the quarter-finals as top seed Qinwen Zheng reeled her in to seal a 6-2 6-4 victory.
The 22-year-old, who will officially become British No 1 on Monday, was 3-0 and 4-2 up in the second set after taking a medical timeout before eventually falling to defeat to the experienced Olympic champion.
Raducanu was the last Briton standing after Katie Boulter and Heather Watson both bowed out in the last 16 of the new WTA 500 event, also the first time Queen’s has hosted women’s tennis since 1973.
Raducanu was buoyed by a very supportive crowd all week
“I have been struggling with my back since Strasbourg, and it’s just been something that’s been on and off,” said Raducanu.
“I have been managing it pretty well over the last few weeks, but I guess as the week goes on and I have played five matches now, even if two were doubles, I think it just tests it out. And I just felt it as the load goes up.
“They took me off court and taped it to give me some extra stability, and some painkillers.
“It has been lingering for the last few weeks and I have had back issues before. It’s just a vulnerability of mine. I know I need to take good care of it.”
Berlin next?
Raducanu also played doubles alongside Katie Boulter
Raducanu is unsure whether she will play in Berlin next week with a Wimbledon seeding (she is currently world No 36) not far off her radar.
“I need to think about that and see how it settles and recovers over the next few hours,” she admitted. “I wanted to have exposure to the best and see how I fare up, see the ball that’s kind of coming my way so that if it were to happen in a Grand Slam, I would have some sort of rough idea. I’d say that was the reason.”
She added: “I think maybe my goals have slightly shifted from being seeded to actually improving my game, and when I play those top players, making it closer and feeling more competitive rather than just feeling, okay, I maybe get to the third round of a Slam but then lose comfortably to one of the top.
“I’d rather have a more competitive match, even if that means losing first round, second round, and I think that, to be honest, is how I feel right now.”
How Zheng reached the semi-finals…
Zheng showed she could be a worthy contender heading into Wimbledon as she marched into her first semi-final on grass
Zheng and Raducanu were neck-and-neck in the opening set until the Chinese world No 5 broke to go 4-2 up.
Zheng did not waver and the Paris Olympic champion claimed the opening set despite a fall on set point.
Raducanu took a medical timeout for a back issue before the second set and that swung the momentum the Briton’s way as she secured a double break to go 3-0 up.
But Zheng quickly recovered and levelled the set, before going 5-4 up with an overhead smash that brushed the line.
Serving to stay in the match, Raducanu produced a double fault to give Zheng three match points which she saved before the top seed prevailed.
“I want to apologise for my shoes. I didn’t want to fall two times, but I just don’t know how to run on grass,” Zheng said sheepishly. “I still don’t know when I have to change the grass shoes. I think right now is the time, so it’s the new shoes. I feel much better to run.
“It was a really difficult match for me, especially [because] she has got more experience than me on the grass court. I’m just really happy to get into the semi-final for the first time on grass.”
Qualifier Tatjana Maria shocked former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina to set up a clash with Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last four.
Maria, 37, is mother of two whose eldest daughter is 11 and travels with her on tour, beat Rybakina 6-4 7-6 (7-4), while Keys battled back from a set down to defeat Diana Shnaider 2-6 6-3 6-4.
Norrie and Evans join Draper at Queen’s Club
Jack Draper is in the main draw of next week’s HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club
Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans have been given wild cards for next week’s men’s event, but reigning champion Tommy Paul has pulled out.
Paul has an abdominal problem while Italian Lorenzo Musetti, beaten by the American in the final last year, continues to recover from a leg injury that forced him to retire during his French Open semi-final against Carlos Alcaraz and will also miss the event.
Spaniard Alcaraz is set to be the headline act after celebrating his fifth Grand Slam title in Paris last weekend.
He will be joined in the field by former finalist Queen’s finalist Norrie, who is heading back up the rankings after a strong clay-court campaign, veteran Evans and fellow British player Billy Harris.
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Andy Murray like you’ve never seen him before – giving out life advice! [Credit: @LTA]
Jack Draper and Jacob Fearnley are in the main draw by right, with the latter securing his spot thanks to the withdrawals – which also include another former champion in Matteo Berrettini – having previously been given a wild card.
Draper is at a career-high ranking of fourth but faces a battle to hold that position ahead of Wimbledon.
He chose not to defend the title he won in Stuttgart last year, meaning he will drop back below Novak Djokovic on Monday, while Taylor Fritz will also overtake him after reaching the semi-finals of the Boss Open in the German city.
The tournament begins in London on Monday following the conclusion of the inaugural women’s event.
Zverev sets up Stuttgart semi-final with impressive Shelton
Top seed and home favourite Alexander Zverev beat Brandon Nakashima 7-5 6-4 to advance to the semi-finals of the Stuttgart Open while Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton also reached the last four.
“I’m in the semi-finals now and now I really want to focus on trying to do the best I can,” Zverev said.
“I know the opponents are going to get tougher but I’m really happy on the court right now. I’m really happy in Stuttgart and I’m looking forward to the next two days.”
Zverev will play third seed Shelton next after the American, who was virtually unstoppable on his first serve, beat Jiri Lehecka 6-4 6-4, firing 18 aces.
Marton Fucsovics had beaten Fritz in straight sets in Stuttgart two years ago but this time the American, who has yet to drop a set at the tournament, came out on top in a dominant 6-3 6-4 victory.
Although Fritz was involved in some long baseline rallies, he relied on his serve, sending 12 aces past the Hungarian to set up a semi-final clash with Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat the 17-year-old German Justin Engel 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.
Engel had claimed his first professional victory on grass earlier this week when he beat James Duckworth, following it up with an upset win over seventh seed Alex Michelsen, but beating Auger-Aliassime proved to be a step too far for the teenager.
“His serve was so incredibly good today that I felt pressure in my own service games,” Engel said.
“But it was great fun playing in front of this crowd again. I can’t wait to play here again next year.”
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