Emma Raducanu is facing another obstacle. The 22-year-old is making solid strides at the Citi Open, taking down Marta Kostyuk and four-time slam champion Naomi Osaka in her first two rounds. So far, the Briton hasn’t dropped a set, showing off her grit and skill as a grand slam champion herself. But heading into her quarterfinal match against Maria Sakkari, things are taking a concerning turn for Emma.

On Friday, under what might just be the “hottest day” of the Citi Open tournament, Emma Raducanu showed true grit. Down 5-2 in the second set against Maria Sakkari, the 22-year-old Brit staged an impressive comeback to win 6-4, 7-5. But things got tense when Raducanu took a medical timeout late in that second set. Tennis journalist Jose Morgado reported on X, “Raducanu getting her blood pressure checked. She just broke for 4-5 in the 2nd set, will serve next. 36.º C atm in DC… too hot.” Yikes indeed!

The drama unfolded just after Raducanu broke Sakkari’s serve. The doctor was called onto the court to check her vitals, including her heart rate. Despite the scare, Raducanu showed the heart of a fighter, returning with fire in her veins. She then won three straight games, punching her ticket to the semi-finals for the first time this season.

This isn’t Raducanu’s first rollercoaster of a year. She’s been battling back issues and injuries that have repeatedly interrupted her flow. Back at the French Open, she admitted she “was really struggling” despite advancing past Wang Xinyu in a tough first-round match. Emma Raducanu’s 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win at Roland-Garros involved a medical timeout in the first set, as she coped with illness on court.

This time, the heat was another beast to tame, forcing that medical pause during her Citi Open clash. This could have been a different story if things had swung the other way for Britain’s No.1. But with her fierce comeback spirit, Raducanu proved she’s tougher than the toughest conditions thrown her way. She also tipped her hat to the fans who withstood the tough heat.

During her on-court interview, she said, “It was brutal today. Thank you to everyone for coming out and sitting through the heat. It’s incredibly difficult playing, but actually, when I’ve sat and watched matches, in the heat when you’re not moving, it’s even harder. I really appreciate you guys coming out and sticking through the long match.” It all went her way in the end.

However, Emma’s injuries have certainly taken their toll on her. Especially for the 2024 season, and she learned from them well.

Emma Raducanu speaks up about coming back from injury

Back in November 2024, Raducanu prepared for a comeback after an injury had stopped her progress. She suffered another setback during the Asian swing and barely realized how bad it was at first. “Yeah, it was. I think when I got injured in Korea, I didn’t know how bad it was initially. I actually did it in my second round there and managed to finish the match. But I ended up not playing for about four, five weeks after that,” the Briton had revealed.

But the injury bug stuck around, especially at the 2025 Eastbourne Open last month. Emma Raducanu showed her willpower by clawing back from 5-2 down in the deciding set to force a tiebreak. She couldn’t pull off a second comeback win in as many days, but her emotional first-round victory revealed her resolve. On her persistent back pain, Emma said, “I would say it bothered me. I wouldn’t say it was like I couldn’t move. Like a lot of athletes, we all carried something that we managed and played through, but I’d say it was okay.” Ready or not, she vowed to face the intensity of Wimbledon.

She managed her recovery by doubling down on acupuncture and taking tablets to handle the pain. “I was going to rest tomorrow. Just take it day by day. Get some practice in. I thought it could be a blessing in disguise, having some rest right then. I looked forward to heading back and getting on the grass at Wimbledon. I knew I would step on the court regardless,” she promised.

Now, she reached her first semifinal since the 2024 Rothesay Open. Could she ride the momentum to her first final since 2021? Share your thoughts in the comments below!