Emma Raducanu states the three areas of her game which have really improved recently as she makes the semi-final in D.C.

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Emma Raducanu is through to the final four at the Washington Open, as she continues her impressive run of form in D.C.

Raducanu defeated Maria Sakkari in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, to reach her first WTA semi-final in over a year, where she’ll face Anna Kalinskaya.

The Briton hasn’t dropped a set yet in the American capital, earning statement victories over seventh seed Marta Kostyuk and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.

Ahead of her clash with Kalinskaya, Raducanu says there have been some big improvements in her game recently.

Emma Raducanu reacts to her impressive run in Washington

After defeating Sakkari, she said: “I think 2022, the last semis I made in Seoul, the quality of opponents I have just beaten here is a lot higher, and I think also the way the tournament has moved on, every match is a lot more difficult.

“I’d say it’s a completely different era of tennis, and I’m playing a lot better to try and match that.

“I think the areas I have improved I think, one, my competitiveness. I think that’s one of my bigger strengths when I am focused and in the zone.

“And I think that’s something I found a lot more from, you know, March this year. I think I have been a lot more focused and competitive for each point and not being flat or defeated.

“Then I think the other thing, I think my serve has improved. Like, the last few matches I have been getting a lot more free points.

“I know, like, whenever I have played well or had great results, that’s been working really well.
Then also I think just movement of my defensive skills have probably been the biggest improvement.

“I think I’m able to kind of dig out some points and stay in the points and use a bit more hand skills, slice, get an extra ball back.

“I think it tends, not every point, but some really important moments, it can help. I think that has improved the most.”

Emma Raducanu’s last semi-final run on the WTA Tour

Raducanu’s last appearance in a semi-final was at the Korea Open in 2022, which took place a month after her unsuccessful title defence at the US Open.

She tallied three comfortable wins over Moyuka Uchijima, Yanina Wickmayer, and third seed Magda Linette.

In the semi-final, Raducanu came up against former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko and took the first set against her.

After losing the second set, however, she found herself three games down in the third and was forced to retire due to injury mid-contest.