Emma Raducanu saved a match point on her way to beating a top-10 player for the first time in her career as she came from behind to defeat world No 5 Jessica Pegula 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 7-5.
It follows on from her stunning first-round win over fellow former US Open champion Sloane Stephens, with Raducanu describing her latest triumph over Pegula as one of her most “meaningful” wins.
The American – who won the Berlin WTA title last week – had looked in control when taking the opening set but Raducanu battled back to win after almost three hours in sweltering conditions.
She now joins British No 1 Katie Boulter and Harriet Dart through to the quarter-finals, three Brits making it through to the last-16 in Eastbourne for the first time since 1978.
Britain’s Katie Boulter beat Jelena Ostapenko to reach the quarter-finals of the grass-court event in Eastbourne
After being broken twice by Pegula in the first set, Raducanu rallied to pull back level at 4-4 only to then see her serve falter again as Pegula closed out the opener.
The match appeared to be running away from the 21-year-old as she swiftly fell into a 2-0 hole to start the second set, having again lost her opening service game.
However, after finding her range from the back of the court and lifted by the home crowd, it was Pegula who started to wilt in the Eastbourne sun.
Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu are through to the quarter-finals in Eastbourne
Raducanu dug deep to recover from 3-0 down in the tie-break, saving a match point down 6-5 to ultimately level the contest as Pegula lashed another return into the net.
Remarkably, it was the first time in her career Raducanu had taken a set from a top-10 player and she built on the momentum into the deciding set as she broke twice to move 5-2 ahead.
Pegula, though, refused to go quietly and broke twice herself when Raducanu was serving for the match to level things up a 5-5… only for the home favourite to break again and nudge 6-5 ahead before this time closing it out on serve – albeit with Pegula wasting three break points from 0-40 up.
“I am pretty drained right now but I just want to say thanks to everyone again for getting me through some really difficult moments in that match,” Raducanu said after her win.
“I am really pleased with how I managed to navigate some really tough situations and I didn’t think I would be able to get myself out of it, so I would say this match is one of the more meaningful ones to me.”
Raducana faces sixth-seed Daria Kasatkina in the last 16.
Boulter beats Ostapenko to reach quarters
Earlier, British No 1 Boulter beat former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets as she continued her fine form on grass.
The 27-year-old, who successfully defended her title in Nottingham earlier this month, triumphed 6-4 7-5 and will now face third seed Jasmine Paolini.
The world No 32 said: “I wasn’t sure what to expect coming into this grass-court season. I’m out here having fun and enjoying myself.”
Jelena Ostapenko cut a frustrated figure during her defeat to British No 1 Katie Boulter
Boulter took the first set amid a series of errors from Latvian Ostapenko and then broke at 5-5 in the second before holding to complete victory.
“Honestly, I was just trying to slap a little harder than she was,” Boulter said, after beating a Grand Slam winner for the first time.
“She’s so tough to play against, you never know what is going to happen and it’s completely in her control.”
And Dart rounded off a spectacular day for British tennis as she beat American world No 48 Sofia Kenin 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-0 to ensure three Brits reach the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in over 45 years.
Dart’s opponent in the next round is Canadian 21-year-old Leylah Fernandez, who famously lost out to Raducanu in the 2021 US Open final at Flushing Meadows.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports.
- Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
- Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29
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