Rybakina defeats Maria in comeback victory at Queen's Club Championships
British wildcard Katie Boulter defeated world number two Elena Rybakina 7-5 2-6 6-4 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Queen's Club Championships, in the biggest win of her career by ranking. The result came on a hectic catch-up day after Thursday's programme was entirely washed out by rain, forcing several players to compete twice in one day. The victories for Boulter, American teenager Iva Jovic, and Emma Raducanu signal a wide-open draw heading into the semi-finals of the prestigious Wimbledon warm-up event.
Friday at Queen's Club was a marathon day of tennis as organisers scrambled to make up for a full washout on Thursday. Top seed Elena Rybakina, who had not played all week after receiving a first-round bye, first survived a stern test from defending champion Tatjana Maria — saving herself from elimination before winning 6-7(4) 7-5 6-0 — only to fall to Katie Boulter 7-5 2-6 6-4 in the quarter-finals later that evening. Boulter, a British wildcard, had also beaten Jaqueline Cristian 6-1 6-3 earlier in the day and will face Croatia's Donna Vekic, herself a double winner on the day, in the semi-finals. American 18-year-old Iva Jovic continued her breakthrough year by defeating second seed Amanda Anisimova 6-2 3-6 6-3, limiting herself to just 15 unforced errors compared to Anisimova's 39. Emma Raducanu also impressed, beating seventh seed Sorana Cirstea 6-4 6-2 — winning 69% of first-serve points and converting two of three break points in the first set alone — to reach the quarter-finals, where she faces Kamilla Rakhimova in a match carried over to Saturday due to fading light.
Data: BBC Sport
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Rybakina battles back to solve Maria problem on busy day at Queen's
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