"I think I died about three times in that match, and I came back, honestly, I don't know how" - Emma Raducanu after near three-hour 2R win at Citi Open
Emma Raducanu said that she "died about three times" as she survived the longest two-set match of the year.
Raducanu needed two hours and 50 minutes to fend off Camila Osorio, 7-6(5), 7-6(4), at the Citi Open. The Brit thus advanced to just her second quarterfinal of the season and third since winning the US Open last year.
Raducanu endured hand and foot blisters, 90-degree humidity, and repeated comebacks by Osorio in the near three-hour encounter – the longest straight-sets WTA main draw match of 2022 so far.
"I think I died about three times in that match" 😅
@EmmaRaducanu | #CitiOpen https://t.co/gRwOW80fVb
"I think I died about three times in that match, and I came back, honestly, I don't know how," said Emma Raducanu during her on-court post-match interview.
Raducanu said that the No. 67 Osorio, who had carved out numerous comeback wins in her rise from the top 200 last year, was a fighter and that she was pleased that she pulled through.
"Camila (Osorio) is such a battler. Every single point, I was working so, so hard. Sometimes it wasn't necessarily the strongest shots but you just got to generate and generate over and over again. She is such a fighter. Even when I was up in the second set, like, 4-2, 40-0, three break points, she came back fighting. Obviously, when she comes back, the dynamic of the match changes a bit so I'm really pleased I got through that one," said Emma Raducanu.
What a match! Take a bow, ladies... 🤗
@CamiOsorioTenis x @EmmaRaducanu
#CitiOpen https://t.co/pDJkxLnPSN
During the on-court interview, Raducanu also showcased the blisters she suffered on her hand, for which she had a medical timeout. Blisters have hampered Raducanu in some of her matches this season, including her second-round loss at the Australian Open.
"It's on my feet as well. It actually came out of nowhere. At the beginning of the match, I was all right, just normal callouses. And then throughout the match, my skin was just ripping off. In the beginning, there was like a flap, but then the flap got ripped off so it was just pretty open," said Raducanu.
Emma Raducanu reaches second quarterfinal of the season vs Liudmila Samsonova
Emma Raducanu, troubled by injuries and retirements, secured just her second foray into the last eight of a tournament this season.
She arranged a first ever meeting with 23-year-old Liudmila Samsonova, who, for her part, advanced via a three-set win over Ajla Tomljanovic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in two hours and 14 minutes.
Raducanu is weary of Samsonova's ability but said she was focusing on her recovery for the quarterfinals on Friday.
"She is a big ball striker and she has the ability to take the game out of your hands," said Raducanu of the No. 60 Samsonova in the same on-court post-match interview.
"So, for me, it's just about recovering as best as I can tomorrow. She also had a three set match today, so I think both of us are going to be feeling it. It's going to be a matter of who is going to stay tough. We'll see how the dynamic goes tomorrow," said Raducanu.