The 2021 US Open defending Champion has made it to the quarterfinals of the Washington Open while struggling with blisters on her racket. Many speculate if the Brit is allergic to her racquet.
Emma Raducanu won against Camila Osorio 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-4) in a match that lasted two hours and 50 minutes.
“It just gives you a lot of confidence coming through a match like that,” said the British number one.
“For me, it was a pretty monumental effort to really get through that,” said Raducanu.
“There were many moments in both sets where you want to go for the easy option of trying to finish the point early, but I’m just really pleased and proud of how I dug in when it really mattered.”
She will next face Liudmila Samsonova.
The weather condition of the match with Osorio was hot and humid. Both players required medical timeouts. Osorio for blisters on her foot and Raducanu for blisters on her racquet hand. At some point, one of her trainers had to have Raducanus hand bandaged up just so she can continue playing.
Since she won at Flushing Meadows last year, Raducanu has used different models of the Wilson Blade racket. She is also believed to have a deal with Wilson.
Dr. Bella Smith, an NHS GP partner and co-founder of the female athlete health hub, The Well HQ, speculated that Emma may be allergic to the material on the racket.
In Emmas case, it might even be something on the racket that she’s allergic to, which is irritating her skin, says Dr. Smith.
It may be worth looking at the fabric around the racket handle and use one with hypoallergenic fabric.
This is not the first time that the Brit has had to deal with Blisters. She was also hampered by them at the Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Daniel Evans also advances in the tournament after Taylor Fritz retired from the match. He will next face Yoshihito Nishioka in the quarterfinals.
“I constantly felt like I was going to pass out, my vision was going fuzzy,” Tweeted Fritz.
“The only thing that can really prepare me for playing in these conditions… is playing in these conditions, something I just haven’t been able to do while nursing my foot.
“Now that my foot feels better I can finally put in the on-court work and be prepared for the rest of the year. Sorry if I worried anyone.”
