Emma Raducanu battled extreme conditions at the Mubadala Citi DC Open, revealing she “felt like head was in an oven” during a tense medical timeout while having her vitals checked, showcasing her resilience in reaching the semi-finals. The 22-year-old British star secured a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 victory over No. 2 seed Maria Sakkari on Friday, July 25, 2025, at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in Washington, D.C., under blistering temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius with oppressive humidity. The match, concluding at approximately 8:30 PM WAT, saw Raducanu falter late in the second set, trailing 5-2, when she appeared unsteady, prompting officials to intervene. With her heart rate and other vitals monitored courtside, she returned to win three straight games, clinching the match in a dramatic turnaround that propelled her into the semi-finals.
Raducanu’s vivid description came in her post-match press conference, where she likened the heat to an unrelenting oven enveloping her head, stating, “It felt like my head was in an oven out there.” She elaborated on the physical toll, noting, “It was a different level compared to Wimbledon… I felt a bit wobbly, and I wasn’t sure how I’d play a third set.” The medical break, a rare occurrence for the Brit, highlighted the severity of the conditions, with her admitting to a fatigued state where overthinking diminished, allowing instinct to guide her comeback. Her heart rate, though not publicly detailed, was a concern, and she credited the medical team’s quick response for enabling her to finish the match.
The heatwave, a stark contrast to the cooler British summer, tested players and spectators alike, with Raducanu praising the fans’ endurance, saying, “It’s tough enough sitting still out there.” Sakkari, visibly struggling with 28 unforced errors, also battled the elements, but Raducanu’s 68% first-serve win rate and clutch play—saving break points to level at 5-5—secured her spot against either Aryna Sabalenka or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. This win, her third top-10 victory of 2025, boosts her live ranking to No. 37 and marks her deepest run in Washington, having reached the quarters in 2022 and 2024.
Uncertainty now looms over her doubles semi-final with Elena Rybakina, scheduled later Friday night, as Raducanu plans to consult doctors about her condition. The heat’s impact echoes her past challenges with physical strain, including 2023 surgeries, but her mental fortitude—honed by recent mental coaching—shone through. Fans on X lauded her grit, with @EmmaRadFans posting, “Emma’s a warrior—beating the heat and Sakkari!” As the clock ticks to 11:11 PM WAT on July 25, 2025, Raducanu’s oven-like ordeal adds a dramatic chapter to her underdog narrative, positioning her as a contender for the WTA 500 title and a potential US Open warm-up, provided she recovers from this taxing battle.
