'She has the game' – Swiatek ends Raducanu run in Stuttgart, Sabalenka and Gauff stunned

Emma Raducanu’s run on the Stuttgart Open got here to an finish in opposition to Iga Swiatek because the world No. 1 earned an “intense” straight-sets quarter-final victory on Friday.

The Brit fell to a 7-6(2) 6-3 defeat in simply over two hours as Swiatek arrange a semi-final date with Elena Rybakina to proceed her bid for a 3rd consecutive title in Germany.

“It was a fairly intense match,” Swiatek stated. “I used to be blissful that I used to be in a position to preserve the depth despite the fact that we performed some powerful video games for like two hours.

“It wasn’t straightforward. I had loads of break factors which I did not convert so nonetheless I am blissful that I may end it with a greater rating within the second set than within the first.”

Swiatek is but to lose on the occasion, successful all 10 of her matches to this point, however was pushed arduous by Raducanu within the opening set.

The previous US Open champion went toe-to-toe with Swiatek because the gamers earned one break every earlier than the Pole took management in a tie-break.

The second set was extra decisive from Swiatek, who didn’t face a single break level and took two of the seven she earned to march into the final 4.

Swiatek’s head-to-head file in opposition to Raducanu now stands at an ideal 3-0, the four-time main champion successful each set in these matches, however she believes the younger Brit can climb the rankings as soon as extra.

“There are loads of components coming in if you wish to keep persistently on the prime however I hope [Raducanu] will be capable of do it,” Swiatek stated.

“For certain she has the sport nevertheless it’s not straightforward.”

Raducanu bowed out along with her head held excessive as her comeback from an injury-hit 2023 continues.

Her wins over Angelique Kerber and Linda Noskova in Stuttgart adopted up two victories on the Billie Jean King Cup to mark the primary time the Brit has gained 4 matches in a row since her gorgeous triumph at Flushing Meadows in 2021.

Swiatek is gearing up for a tilt at a fourth Roland-Garros title in 5 years and can go to Paris because the two-time defending champion when the second Grand Slam of the 12 months kicks off on Might 20, reside on Eurosport and discovery+.

Rybakina was first to e-book her spot within the last 4, reaching the semi-finals in Stuttgart for the primary time by beating Jasmine Paolini in three units.

The fourth seed triumphed 6-3 5-7 6-3 as she bids for a 3rd title of the season in her first match look since dropping the Miami Open last to Danielle Collins.

Rybakina and Swiatek’s assembly might be a repeat of the Qatar Open last, the place the world No. 1 triumphed in straight units in February.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka crashed out to Marketa Vondrousova in an eventful two-hour quarter-final conflict.

The Wimbledon champion, seeded sixth in Stuttgart, had not crushed her Belarusian counterpart for six years, however got here from behind to win 3-6 6-3 7-5.

Victory meant Vondrousova has reached a semi-final for the primary time since her shock win at SW19 final 12 months, and she’s going to face Marta Kostyuk for a spot within the last.

An unpredictable match featured 13 breaks of serve and noticed Sabalenka hit 35 winners to her Czech opponent’s 17, however rack up 48 unforced errors to 19.

World No. 3 Coco Gauff was the ultimate massive identify to fall on Friday as she misplaced 3-6 6-4 7-6(6) to Marta Kostyuk.

The Ukrainian is having fun with a memorable week in Germany and made it back-to-back wins in opposition to top-10 gamers after taking out Zheng Qinwen within the earlier spherical.

Kostyuk has been in effective type of late and her run to the final 4 is her third semi-final look in a row.

She claimed revenge for an Australian Open quarter-final defeat to the American with a formidable comeback from a set and a break down.

After dropping the opening set in 36 minutes, Kostyuk steadied her serve however discovered herself trailing 4-2 within the second earlier than charging again with a run of 4 straight video games to earn a decider.

Gauff led 3-1 within the third set, however once more let her benefit slip because the world No. 27 discovered winner after winner to battle again as soon as extra.