In Miami Gardens, Florida, Jessica Pegula managed to halt the wave of surprises at the Miami Open by putting an end to Emma Raducanu’s impressive run. On Wednesday evening, Pegula, seeded fourth, achieved a 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2 victory in a grueling match that stretched over two hours and 25 minutes. This win has propelled Pegula into her third Miami Open women’s semifinal in just four years. As the last American standing in the competition, she is now set to face the Philippines’ teenage sensation and wild card entrant, Alexandra Eala, on Thursday.
The match with Raducanu concluded at 11:23 p.m. ET, which led to the rescheduling of the men’s quarterfinal clash between Novak Djokovic and Sebastian Korda to the following day.
Emma Raducanu, who clinched the 2021 US Open and came into this tournament ranked 60th in the world, has had to navigate a series of coaching changes and injuries recently.
In their encounter, Pegula claimed the first set. However, Raducanu showcased her formidable power to snatch the second set. This display of strength came despite her struggles with Miami’s stifling humidity, which soared to 70%.
Raducanu, visibly affected by the conditions, grimaced through points and exhibited signs of overheating. Even after earning five set points on Pegula’s serve, she couldn’t capitalize. Pegula held serve to cut the deficit to 5-4.
At this critical moment, the chair umpire called for a medical timeout to check Raducanu’s blood pressure and pulse. Medical staff applied ice bags to her legs and cold towels around her neck in an effort to cool her down.
Raducanu bounced back spectacularly, taking the tiebreaker 7-3.
In the decisive third set, Pegula found her rhythm again, securing an early 2-0 lead. She broke Raducanu’s serve on her third break point, eventually sealing the match with a flawless game where she broke Raducanu to love.
This recap includes reporting contributions from The Associated Press.
