British star Emma Raducanu continued her stunning form on clay as she sealed an emphatic win against Angelique Kerber at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart on Wednesday.
Raducanu, ranked 303rd in the world as she continues her comeback from double wrist surgery, has struggled with form and injuries since her fairytale US Open title in 2021.
But the 21-year-old, who was in inspired form at the weekend as she helped Great Britain qualify for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in stunning fashion with a 3-1 win over France, continued where she left off by dismantling home favourite Kerber 6-2 6-1.
“It was obviously very difficult to play Angie. She has so much history behind her. You’re not just playing Angie Kerber. You’re playing the person who achieved all those amazing results, so it’s definitely one of those where you have to get your mind around and try and play the ball in front of you,” said Raducanu.
“I think it wasn’t the prettiest match but I really did try to focus and think of the next point, the next ball ahead and not get too bogged down because there were some really long games so I’m just happy to have got through that.”
Former world No 1 Kerber only recently returned from 18 months out on maternity leave and it showed throughout.
Raducanu got off to a flying start by breaking Kerber in the opening game and despite an immediate response from the German, the Briton took control and claimed the first set in 41 minutes.
Kerber was broken again at the start of the second set and although she managed to haul back level, Raducanu stepped up a gear and shrugged off a brief visit from the trainer to wrap up an emphatic win.
Raducanu will take on 19-year-old Linda Noskova for a place in the quarter-finals on Thursday – live on Sky Sports Tennis
Talking about her comeback from injury, Raducanu continued: “The fitness takes a lot out of you just to compete and I think the matches are a lot more physical than practising. It’s tough to replicate because it’s not just the hours on court, it’s the stress, it’s the nerves that go into your muscles.
“The match fitness something is difficult and also the shot selection.”
Raducanu will take on Czech teenager Linda Noskova next on Thursday not before 5.30pm – live on Sky Sports Tennis.
“I played her in a three-hour slog outdoors at the French Open. It was raining and heavy. I think it’s going to be a tough match of course and she’s in great form.”
Tale of the Tape
US Open champion Coco Gauff battled her way to the quarter-finals of the same event earlier on Wednesday with a hard-fought 6-3 4-6 7-5 win over compatriot Sachia Vickery.
The 134th-ranked Vickery created 19 break points but could only convert seven of them against world No 3 Gauff, who rallied from 4-2 down in the final set to win.
Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur finally snapped a five-game losing streak to beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 2-6 6-3 7-6 (7-1), telling reporters: “I thought about withdrawing so many times because I couldn’t take another loss.”
In Rouen, Naomi Osaka’s return to clay was cut short by a 6-4 6-2 first-round defeat to Martina Trevisan.
Like Kerber, Osaka only recently returned to the tour following maternity leave, and was competing as a wild card.
In the Oeiras Ladies Open in Portugal, Britain’s fifth-seeded Harriet Dart suffered a 6-3 6-1 defeat to home player Matilde Jorge.
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Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
