Emma Raducanu got off to a good start in her semi-final match at the 2024 Nottingham Open against Katie Boulter, but the British no. 1 proved to be just too strong.
The 2021 US Open champion got quite lucky in the quarter-finals, when her opponent withdrew from the tournament, sending her into the semi-finals and sparing her of having to play two matches in one day.
Still, the rain delayed the play in Nottingham on Saturday, so Raducanu and Boulter were able to play only one set in their semi-final match at the WTA 250 tournament, but what a set it was.
Both players had two break points, but neither could use them to go ahead, so the first set had to be decided in a tie-break. First, Boulter went into a 4-1 lead, but she lost it, and Raducanu had a first set point at 6-5.
She couldn’t use it the same way that her opponent couldn’t use three subsequent set points and the same way she couldn’t use four more set points herself.
As a result of that, the score was tied again at 13-13, providing an incredibly dramatic tie-break to fans in Nottingham. Raducanu was able to win the last two points and the tie-break 15-13, immediately signaling to the umpire that the match would have to be halted as the rain started to fall down.
It was suspended and continued again on Sunday. Boulter, who is the British no. 1, had a much better start, breaking her opponent once, and then adding another break to win the second set 6-3 and send the match into the decider.
In the third set, Raducanu lost her serve first in the sixth game, which started a series of breaks. The 2021 US Open winner was able to break back every time, but when Boulter broke in the tenth game, Raducanu simply couldn’t respond.
The reason was simple, as Boulter’s break ensured her sixth game won in that set, meaning she won the match 6-7(13), 6-3, 6-4, after three hours and 27 minutes of play across two days. She will now play in the final against Karolina Pliskova.
