BUSY WEEKEND IN PROSPECT FOR EMMA RADUCANU AS NOTTINGHAM QUARTER-FINAL DELAYED BY RAIN
Emma Raducanu had looked strong so far this week and shown glimpses of her best form in Nottingham, but not even she could deal an ace at the weather which prevented any play in her quarter-final against Francesca Jones.
The rain played havoc all day in the East Midlands with the earlier match on Centre Court – Katie Boulter’s 6-2, 6-4 win over 6-2, 6-4 over Poland’s Magdalena Frech – interrupted by the heavens.
And no sooner had Raducanu and Jones looked set to get their last-eight clash under way, than the heavens opened once again. The forecast didn’t look great, but the British pair did get out on court once again and managed to warm up. However, Mother Nature was clearly against them as they didn’t even get the match started before rain again began to fall.
That means that if Raducanu is to beat Jones and set up a semi-final against Boulter, she’ll have to do it the hard way, by playing two matches on Saturday.
Earlier, Boulter looked impressive as she beat Frech in straight sets. But the defending champion admitted the rain was causing some problems with the players’ mindsets.
“The first set I thought there was some really good tennis from me, some of the best I’ve played,” the British No.1 said after the win.
“I’m slowly building some momentum. I’m just really happy to get through today. I can see a rain cloud coming so I just wanted to finish it off as quickly as possible. I can’t do any more rain delays.”
Rain prevents play in Raducanu vs Jones quarter-final – as it happened
07:30 PM BST
Play suspended for the day
As feared the weather hasn’t played ball and that’s it for the day, which means a very busy weekend for one of these two players and the tournament officials...
06:51 PM BST
The old fingers crossed thing...
...didn’t work. It’s now raining harder and play, not that it’s started, is suspended.
06:50 PM BST
Oh dear...
It’s raining again...
The players are staying on the court hoping it’s just a passing shower...fingers crossed...
06:47 PM BST
The players are out on the turf
And, heavens permitting, play will get under way soon.
06:46 PM BST
We all know Emma Raducanu
But who is Francesca Jones?
The 23-year-old Briton was born in Leeds and has reached a high of 149 in the world rankings. She’s currently world No.214 and has a career singles record of 181–101.
06:28 PM BST
The covers are off!
And play may well get underway at 6.40...fingers crossed.
06:14 PM BST
Katie Boulter thanks the fans
To be fair it would be all too easy for the fans to give up the ghost and go home when the weather is like it is today.
06:12 PM BST
No play before 6.30
05:55 PM BST
One tennis player not frustrated by the rain is...
...French Open champion and world No.1 Iga Swiatek. The Pole is a ‘Swiftie’ (a Taylor Swift fan, as if you didn’t know...) and she went to see her pop idol during her Eras tour. Not only did Swiatek have a great time, BUT she also got a hand-written note from the American megastar congratulating her on the Roland Garros triumph. If Carlsberg did nights out...
05:44 PM BST
Once this pair do make it on court (it could be tomorrow...)
Then the winner will face Katie Boulter.
The defending champion is through to the semi-finals after a rain-interrupted straight-sets win over Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
The British No.1 won 6-2, 6-4 in 83 minutes.
05:33 PM BST
However...
...the other weather app I have (a lovely Norwegian one which has computer graphics of exactly what the weather will be like, if you like that kind of stuff...) suggests it might be dry from 7pm onwards, so you never know...
05:31 PM BST
I hate to be the bearer of bad news...
...but sometimes it has to happen. Just looking at the BBC weather app and it seems as we’ll be lucky to get some play in before it gets dark. Rain is forecast until about midnight. I assume all the Nottinghamshire cows are sitting down right now as well...
05:22 PM BST
And, it’s raining...
Yep, as soon as it looked as though they were about to come out for the start of the contest, the heavens opened. The covers are on and it looks grey in Nottingham...
05:17 PM BST
How is Raducanu’s fitness?
“It was pretty surreal because obviously I couldn’t be on crutches because I’d had two wrist surgeries,” she said ahead of her return in Nottingham. “So I had a cast on one hand – I’d timed it so I didn’t have two casts at the same time, obviously – a splint on the other and my ankle was also pretty much immobilised, in a splint and stitches. So I would just scooter around with one knee. As someone who is so active it’s difficult to just shut your body down.
“I think it’s very easy for me to lose sight of where I was exactly a year ago because it is pretty much a year ago to this day, this month. You get so caught up in your own world that you want more and more and more. But a year ago I was on a scooter scooting around and I didn’t know – there was an element of doubt.
“To be healthy and to be here, I need to cherish it. So thanks for reminding me to do that. Body-wise, physical-wise, I feel really healthy. I feel really strong. I’ve done amazing work with my trainer over the last few months, since surgery.
“I’m in a really fit place. I think my wrists are actually in a better position than they ever were. So there’s zero doubt or apprehension whether I’m hitting the ball or designing my schedule. It’s more about being proactive and not wanting to put yourself in any unnecessary situations.”
05:06 PM BST
Raducanu back in action
Emma Raducanu has looked strong thus far in Nottingham and is favoured to get through to the last four this afternoon against fellow Briton, Francesca Jones.
Straight-sets wins over Ena Shibahara and Daria Snigur have hinted at some real form from the 2021 US Open champion, with her serve looking especially strong in an excellent display against the Ukrainian in the last 16.
Raducanu still has a long way to go to truly enter the conversation for Wimbledon singles title next month, however she will be targeting a victory in Nottingham and a first tour win since that famous fortnight at Flushing Meadows three years ago.
“I’ve been working on every part of my game but the serve is very important,” Raducanu said after her victory over Snigur.
”I don’t look at the speed gun but when I raise my game it’s nice to get a couple of free points.
”At the start of the year, I didn’t manage to get that. When playing the top opponents like Iga [Swiatek] or Aryna [Sabalenka] then you need a first serve.”
Her opponent this afternoon has already been on court this afternoon, wrapping up victory over USA’s Ashlyn Krueger first up this morning.
Jones, currently 214th in the world, has six ITF titles to her name and will be the heavy underdog against Raducanu here.
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