"It's like having your head inside an oven," Raducanu says about playing conditions in Washington

Qualified for the semifinals of the Washington tournament after her victory over Maria Sakkari, Emma Raducanu also had to cope with the heat and humidity in the U.S. capital.

During a press conference, the British player, who will return to the top 40, shared her thoughts on these challenging playing conditions:

"I think the humidity makes it feel like you've opened an oven and stuck your head inside. That's what it feels like. [...]

You reach a point where you're so exhausted you don’t even know what you're doing anymore. Maybe that helped me. I was thinking, if this match had gone to three sets, I didn’t know how I’d manage. I’m glad I held on."

Tomorrow, Raducanu will attempt to reach her first final on the tour since her triumph at the US Open in 2021.