Raducanu will make her first WTA quarter-final appearance in 19 months
Britain’s Emma Raducanu produced a dominant display against Linda Noskova to set up a last-eight meeting with Iga Swiatek at the Stuttgart Open.
Raducanu needed 81 minutes to claim a straightforward 6-0 7-5 victory.
The 21-year-old will face world number one and defending champion Swiatek in the quarter-finals after the Pole defeated Elise Mertens 6-3 6-4.
Swiatek, who is on a nine-match unbeaten run in Stuttgart, has a 2-0 win record against Raducanu.
“It’s a match where I have nothing to lose, I can just swing and enjoy it,” the Briton said.
“We played here two years ago in the quarters so it’s exactly the same. I’ve come a long way in two years, I’ve matured a lot and she has obviously achieved so much.”
Raducanu has dropped to 303rd in the world rankings after an injury-hit 2023 season saw her undergo wrist and ankle surgeries.
Following Wednesday’s win against three-time major winner Angelique Kerber, Raducanu continued her return to form with a no-nonsense performance against Noskova – hitting just just seven unforced errors to the Czech’s 31.
The 2021 US Open champion raced through the opening set in just 29 minutes, saving two early break points on the way.
After losing the first seven games, Noskova eventually managed to hold serve to get herself on the scoreboard and level the second set at 1-1.
But despite growing into her service games, the Australian Open quarter-finalist rarely troubled Raducanu’s serve and the Briton struck the decisive blow at 6-5 to wrap up the contest.
“This isn’t my best, I still have a long way to go. I am just really happy the rewards are starting to come on the match court,” said Raducanu.
“Going through everything I went through after the US Open and last year, having eight months out with surgery, it gives you new appreciation and there’s nothing like playing in front of fans, playing good tennis and building on it match by match.”
Earlier on Thursday, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini stunned Tunisian seventh seed Ons Jabeur with a 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 victory.
Paolini will face fourth seed Elena Rybakina next after the Kazakh claimed a hard-fought 7-6 (7-3) 1-6 6-4 win against Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova.
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova is also through to the quarter-finals after defeating Anastasia Potapova of Russia in straight sets.
News Related-
The best Walmart Cyber Monday deals 2023
-
Jordan Poole took time to showboat and got his shot blocked into the stratosphere
-
The Top Canadian REITs to Buy in November 2023
-
OpenAI’s board might have been dysfunctional–but they made the right choice. Their defeat shows that in the battle between AI profits and ethics, it’s no contest
-
Russia-Ukraine Drone Warfare Rages With Dozens Headed for Moscow, Amid Deadly Winter Storm
-
Trump tells appeals court that threats to judge and clerk in NY civil fraud trial do not justify gag order
-
Can Anyone Take Paxlovid for Covid? Doctors Explain.
-
Google this week will begin deleting inactive accounts. Here's how to save yours.
-
How John Tortorella's Culture Extends from the Philadelphia Flyers to the AHL Phantoms
-
Tri-Cities' hatcheries report best Coho return in years
-
Wild release Dean Evason of head coaching duties
-
Air New Zealand’s Cyber Monday Sale Has the 'Lowest Fares of 2023' to Auckland, Sydney, and More
-
NDP tells Liberals to sweeten the deal if pharmacare legislation is delayed
-
'1,000 contacts with a club': Tiger Woods breaks down his typical tournament prep to college kids in fascinating video