In an exhilarating Day 8 at the WTA 1000 China Open, Emma Raducanu’s hopes were dashed after a valiant but ultimately disappointing performance against Jessica Pegula. The British No. 1, currently ranked 30th in the world, faced the formidable fifth seed, but appeared in control early on, breaking Pegula’s serve to establish a 3-1 lead in the opening set. Raducanu’s aggressive play and stunning shot-making allowed her to seize the first set 6-3.
However, momentum shifted dramatically in the second set. Leading 5-2 in the tiebreak and holding three match points, Raducanu was poised to advance. Yet, Pegula showcased her resilience by saving all three match points and battling back to take the tiebreak 11-9. The American then dominated the final set, handing Raducanu a bagel with a final scoreline of 3-6, 7-6(9), 6-0 after a grueling 2 hours and 21 minutes on court.
Reflecting on her performance, Pegula described it as “a crazy match,” praising her ability to maintain composure under pressure during the decisive moments of the tiebreak. With this win, she secured a place in the last 16, where she will face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, who dispatched Aliaksandra Sasonovich in straight sets.
Raducanu, despite her early promise in the match, faced her second consecutive defeat after leading in crucial moments, having earlier squandered a significant advantage during her second-round match against Barbora Krejcikova in Seoul. The British star has now lost nine matches in a row against top-10 ranked opponents since her victory at the Miami Open in March.
Amid this setback, British tennis found a bright spot in the form of Sonay Kartal, who advanced smoothly to the Round of 16 with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 win over 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint. Kartal, ranked 81st, displayed sharp form throughout the match, employing a powerful forehand and remaining solid on serve, dropping only six points behind her delivery in the second set.
This triumph marks Kartal’s third appearance in the last 16 at a WTA 1000 event this year, a notable achievement showcasing her budding talent. Next up for her is a highly anticipated clash against Mirra Andreeva, the 18-year-old Russian prodigy and world No. 4, in what will be their first career meeting.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Kartal, while Raducanu will seek to regroup and improve her consistency ahead of the forthcoming competitions, with the Wuhan Open on the horizon.
