Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu losses end all-British semi hopes at Eastbourne

Emma Raducanu (left) shakes hands with Katie Boulter after losing the women’s semi-final match on day seven of the Rothesay Open at the Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre, Nottingham. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024. (PA Wire)

Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu were denied another all-British semi-final showdown ahead of Wimbledon following comprehensive defeats at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne.

British number one Boulter, who registered a last-four win over Raducanu 11 days ago en route to retaining the Nottingham Open title, slipped to a 6-1 7-6 (0) loss against French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini.

Former US Open champion Raducanu was then comfortably dispatched 6-2 6-2 by last year’s beaten finalist Daria Kasatkina.

Harriet Dart completed a hat-trick of British quarter-final exits in the women’s draw on Thursday, suffering a 6-2 6-1 loss to Leylah Fernandez.

World number seven Paolini dominated the tactical battle against Boulter and adapted far better to blustery conditions at Devonshire Park.

The tenacious 28-year-old Italian will face sixth seed Kasatkina in the last four on Friday, while Canadian Fernandez – runner-up to Raducanu at Flushing Meadows in 2021 – will take on reigning champion Madison Keys.

Boulter endured persistent issues with her ball toss and produced a series of costly and, at times, embarrassing errors amid a challenging breeze.

Having already been distracted by a seagull and a piece of billowing litter, she finished the fourth and sixth games with double faults – the second of which occurred when the ball hit the frame of her racket and flew beyond the baseline.

Boulter made a similar mistake as she was broken five games into the second set but, having fallen 4-2 down, responded by winning three games on the spin to briefly raise the prospect of forcing a decider.

Yet Paolini, who earlier this month lost the Roland Garros final to Iga Swiatek, was a cut above and reasserted her authority to outclass her opponent in the tie-break and continue her remarkable season.

Raducanu then failed to get to grips with Kasatkina in another relatively one-sided Centre Court contest.

However, the 21-year-old, who missed the entire grass-court season last year following wrist and ankle surgery, heads to the All England Club buoyed by impressive wins over Sloane Stephens and world number five Jessica Pegula.

Raducanu showed occasional glimpses of her class, catching the eye with a superb backhand sliced winner as she saved four set points in the opener.

Yet she blew a 40-0 lead on serve early in the second set and was broken six times overall as powerful Russian Kasatkina dominated the majority of the rallies to secure progression.

Meanwhile, wildcard Billy Harris is one step away from becoming the first Briton to reach the men’s singles final after battling from a set down to upset Italian world number 49 Flavio Cobolli.

The 29-year-old, a quarter-finalist at Queen’s last week, won 6-7 (3) 7-6 (4) 6-2, having beaten compatriots Jacob Fearnley and Charles Broom in the previous rounds.

Nottingham-born Harris, ranked 139 in the world, will meet Australian qualifier Max Purcell – a 6-3 7-6 (4) victor against Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic – in the semi-finals.

Elsewhere, top seed Alfie Hewett came out on top against long-time doubles partner Gordon Reid in the quarter-final of the men’s wheelchair singles, winning 6-2 6-1.