Emma Raducanu has conjured up one of her biggest ever career wins (Picture: PA)
Emma Raducanu produced a brilliant comeback win over world No.5 Jessica Pegula at the Eastbourne International on Wednesday ahead of Wimbledon – the first time she has ever defeated a player inside the top 10.
The British tennis star faced a tough second-round match against the American but managed to conjure up a superb 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 victory, a result which books her a spot in the last eight, in her last event before Wimbledon 2024.
Raducanu went into the clash as an underdog – and her win is a huge boost ahead of her home Grand Slam, which starts on Monday, July 1 – where she is desperate for a deep run after missing the Championships in 2023 due to injury.
The 2021 US Open winner, ranked as high as world No.10 two years ago, is currently down at No.168 and needed a wildcard to avoid Wimbledon qualifying. Before this match, she had never even taken a set off a player inside the top 10.
Speaking after what is undoubtedly one of the biggest wins of her career, an emotional Raducanu said: ‘I mean, I’m pretty drained right now, but I just want to say thanks to everyone again for getting me through some really difficult moments in that match.
‘It’s incredibly difficult when you’re playing someone who’s so in-form like Jessica. I mean she came off the back of a great run in Berlin [where she won the Berlin Ladies Open title] and no doubt she’s feeling confident on the grass.
‘But I’m really pleased with how I managed to navigate against some really tough situations and I didn’t think to be honest I’d be able to get myself out of it, so I would say this match is one of the more meaningful ones to me. I think I’ve been going through some stuff and to come through it has been really nice.’
Raducanu, who skipped this year’s French Open to focus on the grass-court season and lost to British No.1 Katie Boulter in the Nottingham Open semi-finals earlier this month, got off to a nightmare start as Pegula broke her in the first game of the first set and followed it up with a hold to lead 2-0.
The Briton held herself – but Pegula was barely breaking a sweat in her own early service games – with a hold-to-love in game four keeping her ahead in the match.
Pegula extended her lead with her second break of the afternoon, much to the dismay and disappointment of the British crowd backing Raducanu in Eastbourne.
Jessica Pegula recently clinched the Berlin Ladies Open title (Picture: AFP)
Raducanu badly needed to find a spark – and that’s exactly what she did – as she bagged her first break with a sumptuous volley against second-seed Pegula.
That got the crowd excited and it put the fire firmly back in Raducanu’s belly as the 21-year-old broke her older opponent yet again to level it up at 4-4.
A tense game nine put Pegula back in control, though, with her third break of the match then followed up with a hold to narrowly take the first set 6-4.
Pegula started the second set the same as the first, with a break-and-hold combo setting up a 2-0 lead and Raducanu unable to register a hold until game three.
The duo traded service games and in game six of the second set, Raducanu conjured up a break to level it up at 3-3 and keep her hopes of a comeback alive.
The Brit and the American continued to hold their nerve on serve until a dramatic game 10 which saw Raducanu earn herself a set-point opportunity – playing some of her very best tennis – but Pegula somehow fended it off to deny her opponent.
That saw the second-set score remain locked at 5-5 – and it then went to 6-6 to set up a tie-breaker – as Raducanu came out on top 8-6 to take a set from a top 10 opponent for the very first time and to force a third-and-final deciding set.
Raducanu looked inspired after winning that tie-break and she took the lead in the decider with a break-to-love in game three before a hold then made it 3-1.
The Brit, who is still waiting to land a second title anywhere on the ATP Tour after her major triumph in New York as a teenage qualifier three years ago, even found herself 5-2 up but then somewhat fell to pieces as Pegula battled back to 5-5.
Raducanu’s winning drop shot in game 11 of the third set then secured a break and 6-5 lead – with a third chance to serve out for the match – but even more drama followed as Pegula went 40-love up on her serve.
Raducanu saved three break points, though, earning match point after she took advantage from the deuce and eventually took the third set 7-5 to record one of the biggest wins of her entire career.
Katie Boulter’s impeccable form continues
Katie Boulter is now 7-0 in completed matches on grass this year (Picture: Getty)
British No.1 Katie Boulter has been in remarkable form in recent weeks and she followed it up with a 6-4 7-5 win over Jeļena Ostapenko at the Eastbourne International on Wednesday to book a place in the last eight in East Sussex.
Boulter, 27, is fast becoming one of the last players you’d want to run into early at Wimbledon with seven wins and just one loss on the grass surface this year.
Victory over fifth-seed Ostapenko, a French Open champion in 2017, is just the latest impressive result for world No.32 Boulter, as she reached her fourth quarter-final of 2024 with her home Grand Slam coming up around the corner.
Boulter, who also grabs headlines for her steamy romance with world No.9 Alex de Minaur, clinched the Nottingham Open title earlier this month – having beaten Emma Raducanu in the last four – registering her third WTA Tour trophy to date.
‘Honestly, I was just trying to slap a little bit harder than she was!’ Boulter said after the match. ‘I just tried to be as aggressive and consistent as I could be. I’m very happy.’
Quizzed about her recent triumph in Nottingham, Boulter added: ‘It’s definitely taken a lot of pressure off me. This season is a slightly different situation for me. Today was a match I had nothing to lose, just swinging and having fun.’