Queen's Club sees Raducanu advance to quarter-finals after straight sets victory

By Evelyn Mensah — 12 June 2026 — 3 min read

Raducanu’s Dominant Performance

Emma Raducanu secured a notable victory at the Queen’s Club, defeating Sorana Cirstea 6-4 6-2 in the second round. This win marks her first against a top-20 ranked player in over a year. The British number one was met with significant applause as she concluded the match on Andy Murray Arena, marking her second consecutive grass court victory.

Raducanu, who has shown strong form since reuniting with her former coach Andrew Richardson, began the match with intensity. She achieved two breaks in the initial three games, establishing a 4-0 lead with powerful forehands. Despite Cirstea’s efforts to recover, winning three consecutive games, Raducanu maintained her composure.

The 2021 US Open champion faced some unforced errors, which allowed Cirstea an opportunity for a third break. However, Raducanu responded by winning two straight points, ultimately serving out the first set in a hard-fought 50 minutes. Her confidence continued into the second set, where she broke Cirstea in the first game with a deep forehand return and secured another break at 3-1, effectively sealing the match.

Following her victory, Raducanu expressed her satisfaction with her performance against Cirstea, acknowledging her opponent’s strong form this year. She noted, “Earlier on in the year she beat me but I’m really glad that I could get her back at home as well.” Raducanu emphasized the need to play aggressively and dictate the pace against Cirstea, a strategy she believes she successfully implemented from the start.

Challenges and Further Progress

Raducanu is now scheduled to face Kamilla Rakhimova in a quarter-final match later today. This presents the challenge of playing a second match on the same day, a situation she described as not having done often, especially on a large arena. Despite this, she expressed enthusiasm for the challenge in front of her home crowd, focusing on recovery and pride in her performance.

The packed schedule on Friday was a direct result of all Thursday’s matches being postponed due to rain. This necessitated that British singles hopefuls play their last-16 clashes today. Earlier in the afternoon, Raducanu and Cirstea were on court for less than five minutes before being instructed to return due to a shower. The covers were put back on Andy Murray Arena, and play was delayed multiple times throughout the day.

Before the match, ground staff were observed attempting to clear the court with large squeegees amidst a persistent mist of rain. There was uncertainty regarding how effective these efforts were. The umpire had also informed Raducanu and Cirstea that they would have an extended eight-minute warm-up, given the repeated delays.

Ground staff work on Andy Murray Arena Credit: bbc.com

Boulter Also Advances

In other matches, fellow British player Katie Boulter also advanced to the quarter-finals. Boulter swiftly defeated Jacqueline Cristian 6-1 6-3, securing her spot in the last eight. This victory sets up a quarter-final clash against the top-seeded Elena Rybakina.

Boulter’s performance against Cristian, which lasted just over an hour, followed her strong showing in the first round against Leylah Fernandez. Boulter commented on her comfort playing on grass, stating, “I do love the grass.” She highlighted the importance of committing to shots on this surface, noting that players cannot ease into it.

This marks Boulter’s 15th career WTA quarter-final appearance, with eight of these occurring on grass courts. She joins Raducanu in the later stages of the competition, facing a significant challenge against former Wimbledon champion Rybakina later today. Rybakina secured her spot by defeating reigning HSBC champion Tatjana Maria in a three-set encounter.