Emma Raducanu’s four-match successful streak was ended by Iga Swiatek on the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix as she fell to a valiant defeat to the defending champion within the quarter-finals.
Raducanu had earned straight-sets wins over Angelique Kerber and Linda Noskova throughout the primary two rounds, following two victories final week in Nice Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup conflict with France.
The 21-year-old impressed in opposition to world No 1 Swiatek throughout a 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 loss, breaking within the first sport of the match having been 40-0 down, and it was solely within the first-set tie-break when she was outmuscled.
Raducanu exhibits elite defensive expertise to win this exceptional level in opposition to Swiatek
Raducanu shocked Swiatek with this backhand within the opening sport
The Pole then broke Raducanu within the first sport of the second set and engineered additional break factors within the Briton’s subsequent two service video games that she was unable to transform as her opponent dug deep.
Nevertheless, Swiatek went on to clinch victory with a second break within the ninth sport to arrange a Saturday semi-final with fourth seed Elena Rybakina as she chases a 3rd consecutive title in Stuttgart after beating Aryna Sabalenka within the earlier two finals.
Raducanu’s two wins in Stuttgart have propelled her to only exterior the world’s high 200 as she continues her comeback from ankle and wrist surgical procedure final yr, operations that led to the 2021 US Open champion spending eight months on the sidelines.
The best way she matched Swiatek at occasions, and the way she dispatched former world No 1 Kerber and this yr’s Australian Open quarter-finalist Noskova earlier within the match, bodes properly.
Raducanu took a tumble on the court docket within the second set
Swiatek: Raducanu has sport to get again to the highest
Iga Swiatek was filled with reward for Raducanu in Stuttgart, saying hopes she will be able to go on to win tournaments sooner or later
Swiatek, who took her head-to-head document in opposition to Raducanu to 3-0, mentioned afterwards: “It was a fairly intense match.
“I used to be joyful that I used to be capable of hold the depth though we performed some powerful video games for like two hours.
“It wasn’t simple. I had a number of break factors which I did not convert so nonetheless I am joyful that I may end it with a greater rating within the second set than within the first.
“There are a number of components coming in if you wish to keep persistently on the high however I hope [Raducanu] will be capable of do it. For positive she has the sport however it’s not simple.”
Swiatek additionally beat Raducanu within the quarter-finals in Stuttgart in 2022 and within the final 16 at Indian Wells final yr.
Story of the Tape
Raducanu can combine it with the perfect
Sky Sports activities’ Raz Mirza:
“What an unimaginable couple of weeks for Raducanu on the crimson grime. After her heroics in opposition to France within the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, she got here to Stuttgart feeling like a Grand Slam champion once more.
“Her coach Nick Cavaday has helped instil an infinite quantity of perception in her sport. Her confidence is sky-high and who knew she may play this properly on clay, particularly in opposition to world No 1 Swiatek the place she made her work her socks off for a contact over two hours. Not many gamers can declare to have performed that over the previous few years.
“Is Raducanu a French Open contender?
“The slower tempo and bounce of the courts have favoured her, however the actual check will come outside as they head to Madrid, Rome after which Roland Garros. An attention-grabbing 4 weeks lie forward for the 21-year-old.”
Who else is thru?
Elsewhere, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova got here from a set all the way down to beat Sabalenka 3-6 6-3 7-5 and can now face Coco Gauff or Marta Kostyuk within the semi-finals, whereas Rybakina overcame Jasmine Paolini 6-3 5-7 6-3 to advance.
Find out how to watch play on Sky Sports activities Tennis
Sky Sports activities will broadcast extra dwell tennis than anyplace else in 2024, together with on its devoted tennis channel, bringing over 4,000 matches from greater than 80 tournaments a yr on the ATP and WTA Excursions, plus full protection of the US Open solely dwell.
Non-Sky subscribers can stream dwell matches contract-free with a NOW Sports activities Day or Month Membership.
Followers may also be capable of observe their favorite gamers and achieve deeper insights from each Excursions through Sky Sports activities Information, the Sky Sports activities App and skysports.com in addition to through Sky Sports activities’ social channels.
Discover out all of the methods to observe tennis on Sky Sports activities, together with the US Open, ATP and WTA excursions
Advert content material | Stream Sky Sports activities on NOW
Stream Sky Sports activities dwell with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instantaneous entry to dwell motion from the Premier League and EFL, plus darts, cricket, tennis, golf and a lot extra.
Get Sky Sports activities on WhatsApp
Now you can obtain messages and alerts for the most recent breaking sports activities information, evaluation, in-depth options and movies from our devoted WhatsApp channel. Discover out extra right here…