Emma Raducanu’s fairytale run at the Washington Open is over, having lost in the semi-finals to Anna Kalinskaya.
It had been an impressive week for the Brit, who reached that stage in both the singles and doubles.
Alas, both proved a step too far, as they was forced to retire from the latter, before then losing in the former format last night.
Emma Raducanu will feel really frustrated after missing out on another golden chance to snag just her second-ever WTA title, but this result marks yet another marker of the great progress she has made in 2025.
Kalinskaya, speaking after the match, certainly wanted to emphasise the trouble caused by the 22-year-old’s play.
Anna Kalinskaya says what Emma Raducanu did that she just had to applaud
Chatting with reporters immediately following her straight-sets win, the Russian’s reaction was a magnanimous one.
After all, it was a well-fought affair between two hard-hitting players, with so many winners flying off either racket.
In the end, it came down to very fine margins, as Raducanu converted just one of her six break points, whilst Kalinskaya managed four from six. That proved to be the crucial difference.
Speaking afterwards, the victor summed up her thoughts: “Yeah, it was a good match from both of us. It’s nice to play against Emma. I didn’t know what to expect. She’s a very tricky player. I’m glad I could stay focused on myself and finish the match in two sets.
“Yeah, I’m happy I won in two sets. Like I said, I didn’t know what to expect. She can hit unbelievable big winners.
“Today she hit a couple of good ones, so I just had to clap. She’s a great player to play against, and yeah, but I’m happy I was better today.”
During this event, Barry Cowan assessed Raducanu’s chances of success at the US Open. Such a run cannot have hurt her chances at the site of her greatest triumph to date.
What’s next for Emma Raducanu?
Well, having suffered at points during her time in DC with the heat, it remains to be seen whether Raducanu will maintain her busy North American summer.
After all, the Toronto Open actually gets underway today, with her match scheduled for Monday.
It will mark a speedy turnaround, the likes of which we have not seen from Raducanu in recent years, as she has opted for a more selective schedule.
However, 2025 has been different, with the 2021 US Open champion far more willing to play as much tennis as possible in the name of progression.
Not to mention that she has a golden chance to continue her progression up the world rankings, having moved up to 33rd in the live rankings after the Washington Open.
For now, she remains enrolled in the Toronto player list. Beyond that, the Cincinnati Open will likely be her final destination before the US Open.
