Google News
It took Emma Raducanu more than a year but the Briton made it to the second semi-final of her fledgling career at the Hana Bank Open in Seoul on Friday. The sixth seed ousted the third-seeded Magda Linette 6-2, 6-2 in an hour and 17 minutes.
Raducanu won 96% of her first-serve points to the Pole’s 60% and saved all three break points she faced. She went on to convert four of the five break-point chances she had on Linette’s serve. She finished the match with 54 points to Linette’s 32.
After the win, Raducanu said, “I think Magda was feeling it a bit physically. She's had a lot of matches and good wins because she's a really tough player, and sometimes it catches up with the body. I think it's pretty cool to make my first semi-final and build my way on tour the right way, to go through the stages”.
The last time Raducanu made it to the semis of an event – at Flushing Meadows in 2021 – she went on to win the title. Meanwhile, looking to reach the second final of her career, Raducanu will take on Jelena Ostapenko.
The top-seeded Latvian brushed past Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, 6-2, 6-1 in their quarter-final. Ostapenko needed 74 minutes to complete the win. She won 72% of her first-serve points, converted six of the 10 break points she had while dropping her serve twice.
Hana Bank Open: Ekaterina Alexandrova survives
Tatjana Maria also came through to the semi-finals after a one-sided win over fourth seed, Lin Zhu, 6-1, 6-1. The German, the seventh seed in the South Korean capital wrapped up the proceedings within an hour, in 59 minutes.
She converted six of the eight break points she had on her Chinese opponent’s serve and saved two of the three break points she faced. Maria will play the second-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova for a chance to reach the Hana Bank Open final. Alexandrova outlasted Swiss Lulu Sun, 7-5, 7-6(6) in an hour and 55 minutes.