Emma Raducanu picked up a fourth straight win for the first time since winning the US Open back in 2021 at the Stuttgart Open last night.
The 21-year-old declared at the start of the week that she was playing the best tennis of her career and swatted aside Linda Noskova 6-0, 7-5. The real test to her claim comes later on Friday afternoon when she faces the world No1 Iga Swiatek for a place in the semi-finals.
Of the threat of the world No1, the Briton said: “It’s a match where I have nothing to lose. I can just swing and enjoy it, and hopefully recover in time.”
As for her turnaround in form, in large part down to a lengthy rehabilitation after triple surgery last season, she said: “I’m not too surprised because I’ve been working really hard on the training court and I knew it was just a matter of time.”
Noskova is no slouch having knocked out Swiatek herself in one of the early shocks at this year’s Australian Open but Raducanu was a class apart from the outset.
Raducanu, who has plummeted to outside the world’s top 300 before the start of this week, allayed any injury fears over a heavily strapped left knee as she moved freely and did not drop a game in the opening set.
Her 19-year-old opponent, who made 31 unforced errors in all, finally settled in the second set but Raducanu’s solid serving and superior power once again gave her the advantage for the win.
“Honestly, I don’t think this is my best,” she added. “I still have a long way to go but I’m just really happy that the rewards are starting to come on the match court 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.”
