Emma Raducanu has moved to allay injury fears after a busy Saturday at the Queen's Club, where she played two matches to reach the final. The British No. 1 will contest her third career final, and her first on home soil, against lucky loser Donna Vekic on Sunday. To win the title, she must play a third match in the space of 24 hours.
Raducanu's Double Duty
Raducanu was on double duty on Saturday. She first played her postponed quarter-final against Kamilla Rakhimova at 12:30 pm, finishing around 2:30 pm. Then, at 5:15 pm, she returned to the Andy Murray Arena to stun sixth seed Iva Jovic, ending around 7 pm. The 23-year-old world No. 42 now faces Vekic at 1:30 pm on Sunday in the championship match.
Injury Scare
During her quarter-final, Raducanu slipped on court in the second set and called for a medical timeout. She returned with heavy strapping on her left thigh, but removed it at the next changeover. In the semi-final, a smaller bandage appeared in the same area, sparking concerns. However, Raducanu has downplayed the issue.
“Yeah, I think it's amazing what adrenaline and support can do, and the mind as well,” Raducanu said after her two wins on Saturday. “So right now I still have to kind of assess, but yeah, I know we're going to do everything we possibly can for one more tomorrow.”
Opponent: Donna Vekic
Donna Vekic, a former top-20 player, lost in the final round of qualifying a week ago but entered the main draw after Marta Kostyuk withdrew. Now ranked No. 76, Vekic loves grass courts and is playing her first tour-level final since winning a silver medal at the Olympics two years ago.
Raducanu, almost five years after her stunning US Open triumph as a teenage qualifier, is one win away from being crowned Queen's champion. Follow all the action from the Queen's Club with our live updates.
