Emma Raducanu beats Linda Noskova to set up Iga Swiatek clash at Stuttgart Open - 'I can just swing and enjoy it'
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Updated 18/04/2024 at 20:28 GMT
Emma Raducanu won her fourth match in a row on clay as she beat Linda Noskova in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Open. Raducanu landed a bagel in the opening set and then took the second in a tie-break. She will next face world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who beat Elise Mertens earlier in the day in her first clay match of the season.
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Emma Raducanu impressively beat Linda Noskova in straight sets to set up a clash with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the Stuttgart Open quarter-finals.
Former US Open champion Raducanu powered through the first set in 27 minutes with a bagel and went on to win 6-0 7-5 against world No. 31 Noskova.
She will face Swiatek, who beat Elise Mertens in her first clay match of the season, on Friday.
Speaking after the win, Raducanu said: "I must say I am not too surprised because I have been working really hard on the training court and I knew it was just a matter of time.
"I don’t think this is my best, I still have a long way to go but I am really happy that the rewards are starting to come on the match court because you know how it is when you are training day in, day out and the results aren’t going your way.
"It’s never that far away I guess and that’s something I have been learning.
"Going through everything I have gone through after the US Open and then last year with eight months out with surgery, it gives you a different appreciation."
Swiatek has won both previous meetings against Raducanu at Indian Wells in 2023 and in the Stuttgart quarters two years ago.
"I have come a long way in two years and matured a lot," said Raducanu. "She [Swiatek] has achieved so much.
"It’s a match where I have nothing to lose. I can just swing and enjoy it. I am looking forward to it."
Raducanu said this week that she feels she is playing the best tennis of her career, and her first-set performance against Noskova was further encouragement that she is rediscovering her top form.
After saving a break point in the first game with an ace out wide, Raducanu broke for a 2-0 lead when Noskova netted.
Raducanu saved another break point with an ace in the third game and then moved 4-0 ahead as Noskova thought a serve was long so did not react to the return, only for the umpire to check and rule it in.
Noskova had her towel over her head at the change of ends and was broken for a third time as Raducanu took the set.
The second set was tightly contested with no break points until the eighth game when Raducanu missed a volley when the ball might have been dropping out.
The pressure ramped up in the closing stages of the set and Noskova twice double faulted as Raducanu broke to win the match.
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