Emma Raducanu's winning run has come to an end in a 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 loss to top-ranked Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Open.
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Raducanu, ranked 303rd in the world, has produced some of her best form since winning the 2021 US Open in recent days - winning two tough Billie Jean King Cup matches last week and following up by battling through to the last eight in Stuttgart.
Impressive though the 21-year-old's renaissance has been, it was not enough to see off the top-ranked Swiatek - who is on course to win the clay-court Stuttgart tournament for the third year running as she prepares for the defence of her French Open title.
"It was a pretty intense match, so I'm happy I was able to keep the intensity even though we played tough games for two hours," Swiatek said.
Asked if she thought Raducanu was on the path back to challenging for titles, the world No.1 said: "I hope she'll be able to do it, because she has a game for that, but it's not easy."
Raducanu broke Swiatek's serve in the opening game but the Polish player broke back immediately and eventually took the first-set tiebreak after racing to 4-0.
Swiatek maintained that momentum to break her British opponent to love in the first game of the second set, building a lead she kept throughout.
She next plays Elena Rybakina, who beat Jasmine Paolini 6-3 5-7 6-3 in their quarter-final after recovering from a break down in the deciding set.
Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk needed eight match points to get the better of third-ranked Coco Gauff 3-6 6-4 7-6 (8-6).
Gauff saved three match points at 5-4 down in the decider and four consecutive match points in the tiebreak.
Kostyuk herself had saved five match points in a win over Zheng Qinwen the day before.
"It's very, very close," Kostyuk said.
"Definitely an amazing feeling to be in the semis here."
Kostyuk will face Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, who upset second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 3-6 6-3 7-5 to reach a semi-final for the first time since she won the grass-court grand slam last year.
It was Sabalenka's first appearance in the last eight of a WTA Tour event since winning the Australian Open in January.
Australian Associated Press
