Raducanu struggles with back spasms as Zheng powers past her 6-2, 6-4 to reach Queen’s semi-final

Under unrelenting pressure from world No. 5 Zheng Qinwen, Emma Raducanu’s run at Queen’s Club ended in frustration and discomfort. The British No. 1 fought bravely but was outgunned, falling 6-2, 6-4 in a match that exposed both her physical vulnerabilities and the firepower gap against the world’s best.

Raducanu, who had impressed with two straight-set wins earlier in the tournament, found herself battling not only Zheng’s heavy-hitting game but also a recurring back problem. The 21-year-old took a medical timeout before the second set, treating the back spasms that have troubled her for weeks. Despite the setback, she returned to court determined to compete.

“It’s been lingering for the last few weeks,” Raducanu admitted. “I know it’s just a vulnerability of mine. I need to manage it properly — it’s very annoying but not something serious.”

In the early stages, Zheng displayed the devastating form that has catapulted her into the elite of the women’s game. The Chinese star, only a month older than Raducanu, unleashed precise serves and vicious forehands that pinned Raducanu deep behind the baseline. Zheng’s heavy weight of shot and superior athleticism left Raducanu scrambling to stay in rallies.

Though Raducanu managed to inject pace on her forehand and attack Zheng’s second serve when possible, she struggled to make a dent in the first set. Zheng dominated the baseline, breaking twice to claim it 6-2 in just over half an hour.

Raducanu, buoyed by the home crowd, showed resilience early in the second set. She capitalised on a dip in Zheng’s serving accuracy, breaking twice to surge into a 3-0 lead. But even as she led, there was a sense that the advantage was fragile. Zheng regrouped, tightened her serve, and rediscovered her brutal forehand rhythm.

From 4-2 down, Zheng stormed through four consecutive games. Raducanu’s challenge unravelled at 4-3 when she double-faulted on a break point, handing momentum back to Zheng, who closed out the match clinically.

“She kind of took away one of my bigger strengths,” Raducanu reflected. “I didn’t see many second serves. She hit her spots really well in big moments. Credit to her. I think I have a lot of work to do, to be honest.”

The loss marks the end of a promising yet revealing week for Raducanu. After a challenging clay season spent adjusting to slower surfaces, she returned to grass with straight-set wins over Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa and world No. 41 Rebecca Sramkova. Those victories ensured she would regain the British No. 1 ranking next week, leapfrogging Katie Boulter.

While Raducanu continues to dominate players outside the top 30, matches against top-tier opponents like Zheng underline the gap she still needs to bridge. Zheng’s own rise has been steady and formidable. While Raducanu stunned the tennis world by winning the US Open at 18, Zheng’s consistent progression culminated in Olympic gold in Paris. Now, even on grass — historically her weakest surface — she’s proving increasingly dangerous.

The two know each other well, having first crossed paths at the Orange Bowl under-12s. They sometimes chat in Chinese, but on court, Zheng’s superiority was clear. She moves on to her first grass-court semi-final, while Raducanu heads to Berlin’s WTA 500 event, hoping for more matches to fine-tune her game before Wimbledon.

Whether her back holds up remains the biggest concern. But for now, Raducanu is determined to keep competing. “I’ll be back on court as soon as I can,” she said.