Miami Open: Emma Raducanu 'felt faint' in three-set defeat as home favourite Jessica Pegula moves into semi-finals

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Emma Raducanu could not keep her Miami Open run going on Wednesday, losing in three sets to American Jessica Pegula. Raducanu played some of the best tennis she has managed since her 2021 US Open triumph, but Pegula ran out a 6-4 6-7(3) 6-2 winner and will play wildcard Alexandra Eala in the semi-finals after she recorded a shock win over Iga Swiatek earlier in the day.

Emma Raducanu of Great Britain receives treatment in her match against Jessica Pegula of the United States during the Miami Open

Image credit: Getty Images

Emma Raducanu fought hard and played well, but she came out on the wrong side of the three-set battle in Miami as No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula moved on into the semi-finals.

Pegula won the opening set, but was made to work hard in the second with Raducanu taking it in a tie-break after a medical timeout.

But the heat and humidity eventually caught up with the Brit, and she lost the third set - Pegula winning 6-4 6-7(3) 6-2 to advance in Miami.

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"I just felt really dizzy," Raducanu said after her defeat. "I felt faint. It was very humid out there and we had a long wait, so maybe it was just an accumulation.

"[There were] just physical points as well, with long rallies and heavy conditions. I don’t know how I kind of regrouped in that second set but, in the third, I definitely struggled a little bit."

The fact Raducanu was able to take the second set despite the medical time out - where her blood pressure was checked - was an impressive feat. But she could not sustain that level in the third set, as Pegula's experience saw her emerge victorious.

"It was tough. I played a good first set, a little let down in the second, got it back, went up 2-0 in the tie-break, but then it kind of flipped," Pegula said after the match.

"She started moving the ball really well, serving good... Sometimes it just happens, but I just wanted to come out in the third really strong, really quick, and just kind of jump on her and not keep the third set too close."

Raducanu had beaten Pegula the last time they played in a tight three-setter on home soil in Eastbourne last year, but the American returned the favour in Florida.

Pegula continued: "I love playing here, I love playing at home, I love getting wins in the Dolphins stadium. I always play really well here ... and I'm hoping the third time's the charm.

"I want to make it to that final so bad, and I'll give it another shot tomorrow night."

She will have a good chance of making that final, given she plays surprise semi-finalist Alexandra Eala, the wildcard getting a shock win over world No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

But for Raducanu, her Miami run still carries plenty of positives despite ending in defeat.

Raducanu reached her first WTA 1000 quarter-final, strung four victories together after six defeats in her previous seven matches, and will climb up into the top 50 in the world rankings next week.

She has not won four matches in the same tournament since her US Open triumph, sparking hopes that the former Grand Slam winner might be returning to the sort of form that took her to that fairytale New York win after a couple of injury-plagued seasons.

While Raducanu’s coaching confusion rumbles on, she will be able to move into the European clay court season with confidence after pushing Pegula all the way, despite requiring that medical timeout.

Given her injury struggles - with multiple surgeries in 2023 before being sidelined in 2024 with a foot problem, and then having issues with back spasms at the start of this year - the medical timeout will concern her team.

But the way she was able to come back into the match and take the second set despite those struggles will be much more encouraging.

In the end, Pegula was more ruthless on the big points, managing to save five of the six break points she faced.

She is into her third Miami semi-final, having lost the previous two in straight sets to Swiatek and Elena Rybakina. Aryna Sabalenka plays Jasmine Paolini in the other semi-final.

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