MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – MARCH 24: Andy Murray of Great Britain injures his left leg during a rally against Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic in the third round of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium on March 24, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Phot
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Emma Raducanu impressively beat Linda Noskova in straight sets to set up a clash with world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the Stuttgart Open quarter-finals.
Former US Open champion Raducanu powered through the first set in 27 minutes with a bagel and went on to win 6-0 7-5 against world No. 31 Noskova.
Speaking after the win, Raducanu said: “I must say I am not too surprised because I have been working really hard on the training court and I knew it was just a matter of time.
“I don’t think this is my best, I still have a long way to go but I am really happy that the rewards are starting to come on the match court because you know how it is when you are training day in, day out and the results aren’t going your way.
“It’s never that far away I guess and that’s something I have been learning.
“Going through everything I have gone through after the US Open and then last year with eight months out with surgery, it gives you a different appreciation.”
Swiatek has won both previous meetings against Raducanu at Indian Wells in 2023 and in the Stuttgart quarters two years ago.
“I have come a long way in two years and matured a lot,” said Raducanu. “She [Swiatek] has achieved so much.
“It’s a match where I have nothing to lose. I can just swing and enjoy it. I am looking forward to it.”
More to follow
Beim Tennisturnier in München sorgt das schlechte Wetter für weitere Verzögerungen. Drei Mitfavoriten lassen sich davon nicht beeindrucken. Darunter ist auch ein deutscher Profi.
Steht in der nächsten Runde: Jan-Lennard Struff.
IMAGO/Hasenkopf
Nach Favorit Alexander Zverev ist auch dessen Davis-Cup-Kollege Jan-Lennard Struff mit einem Erfolg in das ATP-Tennisturnier von München gestartet. Der an Nummer vier gesetzte Warsteiner setzte sich am Donnerstag im Achtelfinale gegen den Vorjahresfinalisten Botic van de Zandschulp aus den Niederlanden durch. Nach einem umkämpften Match bei bitterkalten Temperaturen durfte Struff dank eines 7:6 (7:0), 6:4 jubeln. Er trifft im Viertelfinale nun auf den ehemaligen Top-Ten-Spieler Felix Auger-Aliassime aus Kanada. Ausgeschieden ist dagegen Yannick Hanfmann (Weinheim) nach einem 2:6, 4:6 gegen den Schweizer Marc-Andrea Hüsler.
Vor Struff hatten sich die Turnier-Mitfavoriten Holger Rune und Taylor Fritz souverän präsentiert. Titelverteidiger Rune (20), bei den BMW Open an Nummer zwei gesetzt, gewann mit 6:4, 6:2 gegen Daniel Elahi Galan aus Kolumbien. Der Weltranglistenzwölfte hatte das Sandplatzevent in München 2022 und 2023 gewonnen. Das Spiel gegen Galan musste zu Beginn wegen eines Hagelschauers unterbrochen werden. Rune trifft nun auf Hüsler.
US-Profi Fritz schlug den spanischen Qualifikanten Alejandro Moro Canas mit 6:3, 6:1. Der 26-Jährige trifft im Viertelfinale nun auf den Briten Jack Draper. Im vorigen Jahr hatte Fritz das Halbfinale erreicht. Die Partie des Kaliforniers musste wegen Regens mit zweistündiger Verspätung beginnen – frühmorgens hatte es in München geschneit.
Topfavorit Alexander Zverev hatte schon am Mittwoch das Viertelfinale erreicht. Dort spielt er nun am Freitag gegen Cristian Garin. Der Chilene, 2019 Sieger der BMW Open, schlug in der Runde der besten 16 den Amerikaner Alex Michelsen mit 6:7 (7:9), 6:2, 6:1.
Ons Jabeur’s search for her best form continued as she was beaten by Jasmine Paolini in the last 16 of the Stuttgart Open.
The world No. 9 has only won three of 10 matches this season and lost 7-6(8) 6-4 to Paolini, who next faces fourth seed Elena Rybakina.
Rybakina earlier recovered from a second-set wobble to beat Veronika Kudermetova 7-6(3) 1-6 6-4 and book her spot in the last eight.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek and former US Open champion Emma Raducanu both play later on Thursday.
She had two set points in the tie-break but Paolini narrowly saved the first with a shot that the umpire came down to check and ruled had just caught the line.
Paolini brought up her own set point with a forehand winner and took it when Jabeur hit the top of the net and the ball went out.
Both players shared a break early in the second and had plenty of chances throughout, but once again it was Paolini who was more clinical.
After saving two break points in the eighth game, Paolini broke to lead 5-4.
She then fended off two more break points as she served out the win to reach the next round.
Rybakina was forced to dig deep in a marathon contest that lasted more than two-and-a-half hours.
The pair traded blows early in a tight opening set but Kudermetova was made to pay for failing to take three chances to break at 5-5.
She forced a tie-break and led 2-1 before Rybakina reeled off six of the next seven points to claim a one-set advantage.
Kudermetova responded emphatically by racing into a 5-0 lead and taking the contest all the way to a decider.
She then recovered from 4-1 down in the third set to level at 4-4 but Rybakina would not be denied, holding to move 5-4 ahead before breaking to seal a hard-fought victory that saw her progress into her seventh quarter-final of the season.
Cameron Norrie powered into the Barcelona Open quarter-finals with a 6-4 6-3 victory against home favourite Roberto Bautista Agut.
The victory gave the British No. 1 his 200th career win on the ATP Tour and kept him on track for a sixth ATP title.
It looked as if the encounter between Norrie and Bautista Agut would be closely contested after they played out a fascinating 26-shot rally at 1-1.
But Norrie did not look back after he eventually hit the winner to break Bautista Agut and take a 2-1 lead.
The Barcelona Open’s 12th seed broke his opponent again in the seventh game, before holding to gain a 5-3 advantage.
Although Bautista Agut crept back into the encounter by winning the next game, Norrie successfully served out the set.
He then earned break points in the first, third and ninth games of the second set to wrap up the victory in one hour and 24 minutes.
“I think on the score it was easy, but there were a lot of tough points in there,” Norrie told Sky Sports.
“I was really pleased with how I handled myself when serving for the first set. I had a couple of tough games at the end of the second set there and played a good game to break as well.
“So I was very, very solid and I converted the points when I was aggressive. I felt like I was moving well, and I was pleased with my footwork.”
Norrie revealed he was not aware he had just won his 200th match on the ATP Tour, but said reaching the milestone made him feel “very good.”
“I didn’t actually know that. I know that yesterday Roberto [Bautista Agut] got 400. So I’m halfway to his. To get 400 wins is impressive.
“I didn’t know that, but I’ll take that 200th win against a top player.”
Cameron Norrie powered into the Barcelona Open quarter-finals with a 6-4 6-3 victory against home favourite Roberto Bautista Agut.
The victory gave the British No. 1 his 200th career win on the ATP Tour and kept him on track for a sixth ATP title.
It looked as if the encounter between Norrie and Bautista Agut would be closely contested after they played out a fascinating 26-shot rally at 1-1.
But Norrie did not look back after he eventually hit the winner to break Bautista Agut and take a 2-1 lead.
The Barcelona Open’s 12th seed broke his opponent again in the seventh game, before holding to gain a 5-3 advantage.
Although Bautista Agut crept back into the encounter by winning the next game, Norrie successfully served out the set.
He then earned break points in the first, third and ninth games of the second set to wrap up the victory in one hour and 24 minutes.
“I think on the score it was easy, but there were a lot of tough points in there,” Norrie told Sky Sports.
“I was really pleased with how I handled myself when serving for the first set. I had a couple of tough games at the end of the second set there and played a good game to break as well.
“So I was very, very solid and I converted the points when I was aggressive. I felt like I was moving well, and I was pleased with my footwork.”
Norrie revealed he was not aware he had just won his 200th match on the ATP Tour, but said reaching the milestone made him feel “very good.”
“I didn’t actually know that. I know that yesterday Roberto [Bautista Agut] got 400. So I’m halfway to his. To get 400 wins is impressive.
“I didn’t know that, but I’ll take that 200th win against a top player.”
Emma Raducanu believes she is playing some “really good tennis” as she celebrated a “milestone moment” by beating Angelique Kerber at the Stuttgart Open.
The win came almost exactly a year after Raducanu lost by the same scoreline to Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart.
After that defeat, she shut down her season and underwent surgery on her wrists and ankle.
“It’s a bit of a milestone moment for me, and I just feel like I have come a long way in that year,” Raducanu said after beating Kerber.
Raducanu’s victory continued a brilliant first week on clay in 2024.
Raducanu will now be looking to reach the Stuttgart quarters when she faces Linda Noskova on Thursday.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t tired, but I would way rather be in this position where I have played a lot of matches and I’m feeling fatigued than being super fresh and losing,” said Raducanu.
“It’s funny, because you always want something that you can’t have.
“But I am playing some really good tennis. I feel like I’m playing level-wise, I knew it before I went to Fed Cup even, like, training, I was playing really well. I think everyone that I was practicing with can attest to that too.
“I think it’s a combination of doing good practice weeks, doing the right things, I am really enjoying working with Nick [Cavaday] my coach. It’s great to have a familiar face, but we are also working really well together as a team.”
Former US Open champion Raducanu said at the Billie Jean King Cup that she feels she is “playing the best tennis” of her career at the moment.
She is 8-5 for the season and seems to be building confidence and momentum.
“I think my serve is more of a weapon now,” she said.
“I think last weekend I played some great tennis. Obviously, it wasn’t a lot of time to turn over since last weekend. Going back up again tomorrow, it’s more just a challenge of the body, I’d say, but I think I’m mentally in a good place. I’m taking a lot of confidence from the training I’m doing.
“I feel like I can actually lean on that more so now because I’m actually doing the work, whereas last year it was very difficult.”
Raducanu won her only previous meeting against Noskova, a hard-fought three-set clash at the 2022 French Open.
Noskova, 19, was impressive in beating Ostapenko in straight sets in the first round in Stuttgart and started the year by making the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.
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‘Wow, world class!’ – Noskova wins incredible point against Raducanu
Looking ahead to the match, Raducanu said: “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.
“She is a big hitter, big ball striker, aggressive tennis, I don’t expect very long points. It’s going to be a good match.”
Emma Raducanu completed a comfortable 6-2 6-1 victory over Angelique Kerber to book her place in the last 16 of the Stuttgart Open.
The Brit picked up where she left off in the Billie Jean King Cup and looked sharp in downing her German opponent in less than an hour and a half.
Raducanu will next play Linda Noskova, who earlier beat Laura Siegemund in three sets.
“It was obviously very difficult to play Angie because she has so much history behind her,” Raducanu said. “You’re not just playing Angie Kerber, you’re playing the person who’s achieved all those amazing results.
“It’s definitely one you have to get your mind around and not try get psyched out and just play the ball in front of you.
“It wasn’t the prettiest match but I just really tried to focus on the next ball ahead because there were some really long games that were back and forth. I’m just happy to have got through.”
Both sets began with three consecutive breaks of serve in Raducanu’s favour as the Brit came up with the cleaner and more accurate ground strokes.
She also showed all her defensive capabilities to save nine of the 11 break points she faced in an intriguing battle.
After coming up with a big hold to move 4-2 clear in the opener, Raducanu then secured a double break and served out to take the first set.
The pair then traded blows to begin the second, but it was once again Raducanu who was the more consistent.
She eventually ended Kerber’s resistance when she moved a double break ahead at 4-1, and although she sparked fears when she called the trainer, she eased to the winning line.
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Coco Gauff of the United States in action against Sachia Vickery of the United States in the second round on Day Three of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart 2024.
Image credit: Getty Images
Coco Gauff moved into the quarter-finals after a hard-fought 6-3 4-6 7-5 win over her American compatriot Sachia Vickery.
The match lasted almost two and a half hours and featured 15 breaks of serve but it was Gauff who prevailed to set up a meeting with either Qinwen Zheng or Marta Kostyuk in the last eight.
Vickery received a standing ovation leaving centre court for playing her part in an enthralling encounter, but it will be little consolation for the 28-year-old qualifier, who had a chance to move 5-2 ahead in the decider.
But Gauff, the No. 3 seed, defied 15 double faults to come up with the goods when she needed to most and book her progression.
“I just stayed aggressive,” Gauff said on court. “She played well and I think I did a good job of staying in the match.
“It’s most people’s first clay tournament of the year so are trying to find their game again and find how to play on clay again.
“When you’re higher ranked you maybe have a little more experience in the clutch moments.”
Gauff, last year’s US Open champion, raced into a 3-0 lead and saved a host of break points to come through a tight first set.
Her battling qualities were on display again early in the second as she survived another five break points but Vickery eventually made one count in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead.
Remarkably, that was the first of eight consecutive breaks of serve that saw Vickery level the contest at a set apiece, with double faults mounting up for Gauff.
Gauff took a 2-0 lead in the decider before losing the next four games as Vickery got herself within touching distance of an upset win, but there was time for another twist or two.
After missing the chance to lead 5-2, back-to-back double faults gave Gauff the break back and it went from bad to worse for the qualifier.
Two love games in a row saw Gauff move 6-5 clear and she capped off a whirlwind victory with a superb crosscourt winner.
Elsewhere, Ons Jabeur snapped a five-game losing streak with a 2-6 6-3 7-6(1) win over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The world No. 9 hadn’t tasted success since beating Raducanu in Abu Dhabi at the beginning of February but recovered well from dropping the opening set and will face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini next.
Her struggles have had such an impact that Jabeur contemplated pulling out but will now hope she can use this victory as a springboard to rediscover her best form.
“I have thought about withdrawing from this tournament so many times because I couldn’t take another loss,” she told reporters. “It was very, very difficult.”
Emma Raducanu completed a comfortable 6-2 6-1 victory over Angelique Kerber to book her place in the last 16 of the Stuttgart Open.
The Brit picked up where she left off in the Billie Jean King Cup and looked sharp in downing her German opponent in less than an hour and a half.
Raducanu will next play Linda Noskova, who earlier beat Laura Siegemund in three sets.
“It was obviously very difficult to play Angie because she has so much history behind her,” Raducanu said. “You’re not just playing Angie Kerber, you’re playing the person who’s achieved all those amazing results.
“It’s definitely one you have to get your mind around and not try get psyched out and just play the ball in front of you.
“It wasn’t the prettiest match but I just really tried to focus on the next ball ahead because there were some really long games that were back and forth. I’m just happy to have got through.”
Both sets began with three consecutive breaks of serve in Raducanu’s favour as the Brit came up with the cleaner and more accurate ground strokes.
She also showed all her defensive capabilities to save nine of the 11 break points she faced in an intriguing battle.
After coming up with a big hold to move 4-2 clear in the opener, Raducanu then secured a double break and served out to take the first set.
The pair then traded blows to begin the second, but it was once again Raducanu who was the more consistent.
She eventually ended Kerber’s resistance when she moved a double break ahead at 4-1, and although she sparked fears when she called the trainer, she eased to the winning line.
Coco Gauff of the United States in action against Sachia Vickery of the United States in the second round on Day Three of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart 2024.
Image credit: Getty Images
Coco Gauff moved into the quarter-finals after a hard-fought 6-3 4-6 7-5 win over her American compatriot Sachia Vickery.
The match lasted almost two and a half hours and featured 15 breaks of serve but it was Gauff who prevailed to set up a meeting with either Qinwen Zheng or Marta Kostyuk in the last eight.
Vickery received a standing ovation leaving centre court for playing her part in an enthralling encounter, but it will be little consolation for the 28-year-old qualifier, who had a chance to move 5-2 ahead in the decider.
But Gauff, the No. 3 seed, defied 15 double faults to come up with the goods when she needed to most and book her progression.
“I just stayed aggressive,” Gauff said on court. “She played well and I think I did a good job of staying in the match.
“It’s most people’s first clay tournament of the year so are trying to find their game again and find how to play on clay again.
“When you’re higher ranked you maybe have a little more experience in the clutch moments.”
Gauff, last year’s US Open champion, raced into a 3-0 lead and saved a host of break points to come through a tight first set.
Her battling qualities were on display again early in the second as she survived another five break points but Vickery eventually made one count in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead.
Remarkably, that was the first of eight consecutive breaks of serve that saw Vickery level the contest at a set apiece, with double faults mounting up for Gauff.
Gauff took a 2-0 lead in the decider before losing the next four games as Vickery got herself within touching distance of an upset win, but there was time for another twist or two.
After missing the chance to lead 5-2, back-to-back double faults gave Gauff the break back and it went from bad to worse for the qualifier.
Two love games in a row saw Gauff move 6-5 clear and she capped off a whirlwind victory with a superb crosscourt winner.
Elsewhere, Ons Jabeur snapped a five-game losing streak with a 2-6 6-3 7-6(1) win over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The world No. 9 hadn’t tasted success since beating Raducanu in Abu Dhabi at the beginning of February but recovered well from dropping the opening set and will face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini next.
Her struggles have had such an impact that Jabeur contemplated pulling out but will now hope she can use this victory as a springboard to rediscover her best form.
“I have thought about withdrawing from this tournament so many times because I couldn’t take another loss,” she told reporters. “It was very, very difficult.”
Neben dem ATP-Turnier in München wird auch beim WTA-Turnier in Stuttgart dieser Tage der gelben Filzkugel hinterhergejagt. Laura Siegemund schied am Mittwoch nach großem Kampf aus, Angelique Kerber hatte am Abend keinen Auftrag.
Laura Siegemund schied nach über drei Stunden in Stuttgart aus.
picture alliance / Eibner-Pressefoto
Erstmals seit ihrer Babypause trat Angelique Kerber in Deutschland bei einem Turnier an. In Stuttgart traf die dreimalige Grand-Slam-Siegerin auf die ehemalige US-Open-Siegerin Emma Raducanu aus England – und war im Grunde chancenlos. Mit 2:6, 1:6 unterlag die 36-Jährige ihrer 15 Jahre jüngeren Gegnerin.
Am späten Nachmittag musste indes Laura Siegemund die Segel streichen. Die 36-Jährige hätte dabei beinahe ein gewaltiges Comeback hingelegt, aber eben nur beinahe: Siegemund kam gegen die klar favorisierte Marta Kostjuk aus der Ukraine zunächst nach einem Satz- und 3:5-Rückstand stark zurück, musste sich schlussendlich aber doch nach drei hart umkämpften Sätzen mit 3:6, 7:6 (7:4), 4:6 geschlagen geben. Nach dem Aus von Tatjana Maria am Dienstag verabschiedete sich damit die nächste deutsche Spielerin früh aus dem Turnier.
Gegen die Weltanglisten-27. Kostjuk hatte die 57 Ränge schlechter positionierte Siegemund, die 2017 sensationell in Stuttgart triumphiert hatte, zu Beginn große Probleme, fand ihren Rhythmus nicht und sah schon wie die sichere Verliererin aus. Doch dann wendete ein äußerst knapper Ball vermeintlich das Blatt: Beim Stand von 3:5 und 30:30 aus Sicht der Deutschen wurde ein sehr knapper Ball von Schiedsrichterin Meruyert Kaukeyeva, die von ihrem Stuhl geklettert und sich den Abdruck in der Nähe angeschaut hatte, Siegemund gutgegeben.
Das war gleichbedeutend mit Spielball für die Deutsche anstatt Matchball für die Ukrainerin, die danach nicht mehr so souverän war und Satz zwei sogar verlor. Die Entscheidung fiel wiederum in einem abwechslungsreichen dritten Durchgang, den Kostjuk jedoch klarmachte und folglich nach 3:09 Stunden auch das Match gewann.
