Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez reach the semifinals in Washington

WASHINGTON (AP) – Emma Raducanu reached the semifinals at the D.C. Open – the biggest tournament where she’s made it that far since her surprising 2021 U.S. Open title – by eliminating Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5 on Friday.

On a muggy day with the temperature topping 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius), Raducanu took a medical timeout while reeling off the last five games of the match after trailing 5-2 in the second set.

“I would like to say I’m pretty good in the heat, for the most part, but I was really struggling today,” said Raducanu, who was 18 when she became the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam singles trophy. “It was one of the toughest matches, conditions-wise, I have ever played in. … Those points in the second set, I was getting a bit wobbly. I’m just happy I could close it out, and it was two sets.”

Also reaching the semifinals at the hard-court tournament in Washington was Leylah Fernandez, the runner-up to Raducanu at Flushing Meadows four years ago. Fernandez moved on with a 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over qualifier Taylor Townsend on Thursday.

Next for Fernandez is a matchup against 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, the highest remaining seed in the field at No. 3, or No. 5 Magdanela Frech, the player who beat Venus Williams on Thursday night.

Raducanu’s semifinal opponent Saturday will be No. 4 Clara Tauson or Anna Kalinskaya.

The first man to reach the semifinals was Corentin Moutet, a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 winner over 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev. The match was delayed for about an hour late in the third set because of lightning in the area.