Emma Raducanu delivered a major performance to beat Linda Noskova and set up a Stuttgart quarterfinal against world No. 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek.
Raducanu, who entered the Stuttgart main draw as a wildcard, ousted world No. 31 Noskova 6-0 7-5 while defending Stuttgart champion Swiatek saw off Elise Mertens 6-3 6-4.
When the match started, both Raducanu and Noskova had chances in their return games but it was the Briton who saved a break point in the first and third game while realizing her break point in the second and fourth game. Up 4-0, Raducanu then routinely served out the fifth game for a 5-0 lead before breaking Noskova again in the following game to complete a first-set bagel.
At the start of the second set, Raducanu kept playing well but Noskova stabilized and managed to get through a couple of her service games. In the eighth game, Raducanu didn’t convert the first break point of the second set but she earned another break points in the 12th game – which at the same time were match points – and converted her second match point to get the job done against Noskova in two sets.
A day earlier, Raducanu destroyed three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 6-2 6-1.
