Daria Kasatkina advanced to the semi-finals of the Korea Open after British number two, Emma Raducanu, was forced to retire from their quarter-final match due to an injury in her left foot. This came after Raducanu struggled with the same problem in the previous round against Yue Yuan. The 21-year-old was broken in the second game, and though she broke straight back, she struggled to serve and chase returns around the court. After the fifth game, she took a medical time out and decided not to continue after losing the opening set 6-1.
Raducanu’s withdrawal led Kasatkina to face compatriot Diana Shnaider in the semi-finals, with the match rescheduled for later that Saturday after rain postponed play on Friday. “I feel sorry for Emma,” said Kasatkina, “It’s a pity to get injured, especially in the deeper stages of the tournament. I wish her a speedy recovery.”
Raducanu, who was hoping to reach her first semi-final above WTA 250 level since her 2021 US Open victory, has had a number of injuries since her Flushing Meadows triumph. Due to undergoing surgery on both of her hands and left ankle, Raducanu played only nine matches in 2023. She returned at the beginning of this year and reached the second round of the Australian Open before skipping the French Open to focus on her fitness. At last month’s US Open, she suffered a first-round defeat by American Sofia Kenin despite reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon to return to the world’s top 100.
Raducanu’s setbacks highlight the physical toll that tennis, or any sport, can take on the body. The path to success is never smooth or straightforward, and athletes often encounter obstacles and fell short of their personal goals. Raducanu, still young, has a lot of potential and will undoubtedly continue to fight to achieve success, even if it means she’ll face drastic setbacks along the way
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