Emma Raducanu bounced back from an injury scare during her fourth round match at Wimbledon but was unable to overcome a stunning performance from qualifier Lulu Sun.
Raducanu battled hard to force a deciding set against the world No.123 from New Zealand, but in the end, Sun came through 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 to reach her first ever Grand Slam quarter-final.
The 21-year-old Brit suffered a bad fall at the start of the third set and had to call a medical timeout to get some treatment on her leg and back before getting back on court.
“I’ve been managing a stiff back since yesterday,” Raducanu said in her press conference after the match.
“I think it was just exaggerated today, I’d say. I was feeling it during the match. I think especially on serve it was affecting me a bit.
“I gave everything I had on the day. I just need to take the lessons that I can from it, watch it back, yeah, improve and keep going.”
Take nothing away from Sun though – it was an inspired performance from the qualifier, who hit a season-record 52 winners past the 2021 US Open champion on only her first appearance on Centre Court.
“It was a difficult match,” Raducanu said. “I think Lulu played really good tennis today. I gave my best, I fought really hard. I think today her tennis was better and deserved the win.
“She was very aggressive. She took the ball on and I think playing a lefty is challenging – it’s something that I haven’t really played against or trained against. Going forward, it’s something I probably need to incorporate more.”
Raducanu admitted that she came into the tournament without the expectations of a deep run at The Championships, and having now risen back inside the top 100 in the live WTA rankings, the young Brit has been left pleased with how the week has gone.
“I beat two top-10 players within two weeks, which is a pretty big deal for me, seeing as the whole US Open even I didn’t play one top-10 player,” she said. “I think I have to take confidence from that.
“Six months ago when I was starting out after surgery, I would have signed for fourth round at Wimbledon. Of course I’m disappointed. Of course I want more. I think everything does happen for a reason.
“It just makes me more determined. I think I really put myself first in the last few weeks and months. Tennis is the only thing that is really occupying my time, my mind. It’s all I want to do really.
“I think that that desire and fire is back. I just want to keep building on that.
“I think I’ll take a few days off just to freshen up with the body, freshen up. Obviously, it’s an intense period on the grass.
“I feel good about things going forwards. I feel optimistic. I’m just working there, tracking in the right direction.”
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