EMMA RADUCANU CONTINUES STUNNING FORM ON CLAY WITH EMPHATIC WIN AGAINST LINDA NOSKOVA
Emma Raducanu continued her comeback to tour-level tennis in fine fashion after securing a fourth straight win – the first time she has achieved such a feat since her 2021 US Open triumph – to move into the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Open.
The Briton played some of her finest tennis in recent years as she powered past Czech sensation Linda Noskova in a straight-set victory to set up a last-eight meeting with world No 1 Iga Swiatek.
Noskova, the 19-year-old who stunned Swiatek in the third round of this year’s Australian Open, has singled herself out as one of the most exciting prospects on the women’s tour this year, having risen to 31st in the rankings.
Yet Raducanu, who started the week at 301st in the live rankings but could now move up to 254th, swatted the teenager aside with ease on the red Stuttgart clay and showed no emotional hangover from her heroics at last weekend’s Billie Jean King Cup in France, where she carried Great Britain to victory.
The 21-year-old emerged on court with strapping on her left knee but looked more physically robust than she has done in months since returning from wrist and ankle surgeries, securing a 6-0, 7-5 win in one hour and 19 minutes. Afterwards, she warned there was more to come.
“Honestly, I don’t think this is my best,” said Raducanu. “I still have a long way to go but I’m just really happy that the rewards are starting to come on the matchcourt because when you’re training day in, day out and you feel the results aren’t exactly going your way, it’s never that far away I guess and that’s something I’ve been learning.”
Raducanu was the picture of control as she dished out an opening-set bagel to Noskova, picking her spots nicely on serve and striking a flurry of clean forehand winners. There was an impressive width to her shotmaking as she wrapped up the opening set in a quick-fire 27 minutes.
Noskova coughed up a total of 31 unforced errors to Raducanu’s tally of seven and made a huge error of judgement when, trailing 3-0 in the first set, assumed her first serve was long. In a dual snapshot of Raducanu’s intuition and Noskova’s energy-lacking performance, she stood motionless while Raducanu responded with a decisive backhand to give herself a double break.
After being humbled early on Noskova tried to recompose herself with a quick bathroom break in between sets but struggled to manipulate the Raducanu serve and fend off her venomous forehands, which provided the platform for the former US Open champion’s victory.
Raducanu’s last-eight meeting with Swiatek, however, will provide a more forensic picture of where the Briton’s game is at. The pair met at this stage in this event two years ago – when the Pole prevailed in straight sets. “I’ve come a long way in two years,” she said. “I’ve matured a lot and she’s obviously achieved so much so for me, it’s a match where I have nothing to lose. I can just swing and enjoy it.”
2024-04-18T20:52:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd