Emma Raducanu advanced to the Stuttgart Open quarterfinals by winning four games in a row, which is a first for her since her 2021 US Open victory. This victory marked a fine continuation of her recovery to the professional level of tennis.
The British player dispatched Czech phenom Linda Noskova in a straight-set match, displaying some of her best tennis in recent years, to set up a matchup with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the final eight.
Noskova, a 19-year-old who surprised Swiatek in the Australian Open’s third round this year, has distinguished herself as one of the most fascinating prospects on the women’s circuit by climbing to the 31st spot in the rankings.
However, Raducanu, who began the week ranked 301st in the live rankings but is now able to climb to 254th, easily defeated the teenager on the red clay of Stuttgart and displayed no emotional lingering effects from her heroics at the Billie Jean King Cup in France last weekend, where she led Great Britain to victory.
The 21-year-old won 6-0, 7-5 in an hour and 19 minutes despite having straps on her left knee. She appeared more physically fit than she has in months after recovering from surgery on her wrist and ankle. She then forewarned that there would be more.
Raducanu commented, “To be honest, I don’t think this is my best.” Even though I still have a long way to go, I’m thrilled that the benefits are beginning to appear on the court. I’ve been learning that when you practice consistently and feel like the results aren’t exactly what you want, it’s never that far away.
As Raducanu served Noskova an opening-set bagel, she was the epitome of composure, finding her spots well on service and producing a barrage of crisp forehand winners. Her shot selection was strikingly wide, as she completed the first set in a scorching 27 minutes.
Noskova had 31 unforced errors compared to Raducanu’s seven, and she erred greatly when she thought her first serve was far in the first set when down 3-0. Raducanu answered with a forceful backhand to win herself a double break, while Noskova stood frozen in a combined image of her lackluster performance and Raducanu’s intuition.
Noskova attempted to gather herself after being humiliated early on by taking a little bathroom break in between sets, but she was unable to control Raducanu’s serve and deflect her ferocious forehands, which gave the former US Open champion the advantage.
But Raducanu’s matchup with Swiatek in the final eight will paint a clearer picture of the Briton’s current state of play. Two years earlier, the two faced off at this point in the competition, with the Pole winning in straight sets. “In just two years, I’ve come a long way,” she remarked. I’ve grown a lot, and she’s clearly accomplished a lot, so for me, I have nothing to lose in this match. I can simply swing and relish it.
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