Emma Raducanu Falls in Straight Sets to Anna Kalinskaya – Progress Despite Defeat . A Tough Loss, But Signs of Growth Emma Raducanu’s impressive run at the [Tournament Name] came to an end in the semifinals, as she fell 6-4, 6-3 to the in-form Anna Kalinskaya. While the scoreline suggests a straightforward defeat, the match was far from one-sided. Raducanu fought hard, creating multiple break point opportunities, but her inability to convert them proved costly.
Despite the loss, this tournament has been another step forward for the Brit. Reaching her first WTA 500 semifinal—with victories over top players along the way—shows she’s steadily climbing back toward her best. Most encouragingly, her performance today, just a day after a grueling three-set battle, highlights her improving physical and mental resilience.
Why Kalinskaya Prevailed: A Tactical Breakdown
Kalinskaya’s victory wasn’t just about Raducanu’s missed chances—the Russian played a near-flawless tactical match. Here’s what made the difference:
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Relentless Depth & Consistency
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Kalinskaya kept Raducanu pinned behind the baseline with deep, heavy groundstrokes, particularly from her forehand.
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She rarely gave Raducanu short balls to attack, forcing errors when Emma tried to create angles.
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Superior Conversion Under Pressure
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While Raducanu had 9 break points, she converted just 1. Kalinskaya, meanwhile, saved 8/9 and pounced when she got her own chances.
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The Russian played fearless tennis in big moments, going for sharp down-the-line winners when it mattered.
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Variation & Smart Play
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Kalinskaya mixed in slices, drop shots, and net approaches to disrupt Raducanu’s rhythm.
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She exploited Emma’s weaker second-serve returns, stepping in aggressively to take time away.
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Where Raducanu Fell Short
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Break Point Woes – Raducanu’s inability to capitalize on key moments (a recurring issue this season) kept Kalinskaya in control.
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Second Serve Vulnerability – Winning just 38% of second-serve points left her under constant pressure.
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Mid-Rally Decision Making – At times, Raducanu overplayed or hesitated when constructing points, allowing Kalinskaya to dictate.
Expert Advice: What Emma Should Work On Before Montreal
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Return Positioning – Against big servers like Kalinskaya, stepping slightly further back could give her more time to attack second serves.
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First-Strike Mentality – On break points, she should look to take the initiative earlier in rallies rather than waiting for errors.
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Physical Recovery – With back-to-back deep runs, managing fatigue before Montreal will be crucial.
The Bigger Picture: Raducanu’s Trajectory
Yes, this loss stings—but the progress is undeniable. Raducanu is now consistently competing at a high level, something we haven’t seen since her 2021 US Open triumph. Her movement, serve, and confidence are visibly improving.
Final Thought: If Raducanu keeps this upward trend, a title run in the next few months is absolutely within reach. For now, she should hold her head high—Montreal awaits, and with it, another opportunity to shine.
What did you think of the match? Where does Emma go from here? Let’s discuss in the comments!