Google News US Open: Emma Raducanu's upsetting trend knocks out Belinda Bencic in QF
by ABBEY JOHNSON | VIEW 2498
Emma Raducanu’s blistering streak at the Us Open continued as the 18-year-old upset the 11th-seeded Belinda Bencic in their last-eight clash to reach the last four. The Briton won 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 21 minutes to make it to the semi-finals of a Slam for the first time.
It was a slow start for Raducanu as she battled nerves while serving first in the opening set. She went down a break right away, and as Bencic looked and played composedly, going for her shots, it seemed as though the Swiss would pip her younger opponent comfortably.
However, tables turned as the qualifier settled into a rhythm as the set progressed. She found the range of her shots and came up with winner after another. From the fifth game onwards, Raducanu went on a five-game streak that included not only regaining the break back from Bencic but also securing a second break to serve out the set in the ninth game of the set.
US Open: Emma Raducanu's springs past in-form Belinda Bencic
Both players didn’t cede much ground in the initial moments of the second set and the set remained on serve. However, Raducanu’s shot-making once again put Bencic on the backfoot and the Swiss lost her serve in the fifth game.
Two games later, she faced a break point that would have allowed Raducanu to take a double-break lead for 5-2 and serve for the match. But Bencic did well to thwart Raducanu that time. Still, she wasn’t able to prevent her rival from winning their first meeting as the latter served out the match in the 10th game of the set.
Raducanu faced five break points but lost serve just once across the match. In comparison, she converted three of the six break points she had on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics’ champion’s serve. Both players had almost similar statistics when it came to winners – Bencic had 21 while Raducanu had 23.
But the former’s 23 unforced errors undid her prospects for the match even as Raducanu hit just 12 unforced errors. Emma Raducanu is yet to drop a set throughout the US Open so far, going back to the three qualifying rounds.
The Canada-born Briton will take on either fourth seed Karolina Pliskova or 17th seed Maria Sakkari for a spot in the final. Photo Credit: Garrett Ellwood/USTA