Emma Raducanu has been handed a walkover to the semi-finals of the Nottingham Open after scheduled opponent Fran Jones withdrew from the competition through injury. on Friday, the 23-year-old jokingly blamed Raducanu for making her ill ahead of their highly-anticipated clash in the last eight.
The pair were set to meet on Centre Court at 12.15pm on Saturday, but after careful consideration, Jones has decided against risking further injury to her right shoulder.
Raducanu will now face British No. 1 Katie Boulter in a tough test as she ramps up her Wimbledon preparations on the grass.
Jones, from Bradford, has spent plenty of time in the former US Open champion’s company in recent weeks.
Raducanu earned her second straight sets win in as many rounds against Ukraine’s Daria Snigur to reach the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Jones squeezed past American Ashlyn Krueger and later jibed that she had exchanged illnesses with Raducanu due to how close they’ve been recently.
“It’s been a good warm-up. Emma and I get on really well,” the world No. 214 explained after her victory against Krueger.
“We’ve spent a lot of time with each other in the last couple of weeks, to the point where we’re both actually ill, and I think we’ve given it to each other. I’m going to blame her!
“It will be a great match. Obviously, there is no pressure on me. I’ll come and enjoy it.
“I hope we both enjoy it. We can hopefully give the crowd a taste of the future of British tennis.”
Jones backed out of her last-eight meeting with Raducanu just hours before the pair were expected on the court, denying spectators a youthful, all-British showdown.
There is an even more enticing one on the agenda for the latter, though, as she prepares to face Boulter for a spot in the final.
Raducanu won’t be the favourite, but she will fancy her chances following dominant displays in the opening two rounds. She beat Japan’s Ena Shibahara 6-1 6-4 before her 6-2 6-2 triumph over Snigur.
The 21-year-old is showing signs of improvement – particularly on her serve – after a lengthy spell on the injury table after undergoing surgery on her wrists.
She will launchpad into the WTA’s top 150 players from her current standing of 209th if she can navigate past Boulter.
The duo have only met once before, in the second round of the W25 Solapur in 2019, where Boulter came out on top.
