Google News Iga Swiatek reacts to beating Emma Raducanu in highly-anticipated Stuttgart match
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 5871
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek was glad she managed to beat Emma Raducanu and noted her focus immediately switched onto the next match. In a highly-anticipated meeting between two Grand Slam champions, Swiatek defeated No. 8 seed Raducanu 6-4 6-4 in the Stuttgart quarterfinal.
Swiatek made a good start to the match, having broken Raducanu in the opening game of the match. Swiatek then held on to her serve the rest of the first set to win the opener. Swiatek also started the second set with a break but Raducanu broke back in the second game.
However, blowing an early break didn't impact Swiatek as she broke Raducanu agian in the third game and held on to her serve the rest of the set to seal a straight-set win. "I'm not thinking much about what's happened, and also what's going to happen," Swiatek told WTA Insider.
"[I'm] just focusing on the next match, and I'm really doing everything to prepare and recover well after each round. ... It seems like I'm going with the flow, but behind it, it's hard work."
Swiatek plays Liudmila Samsonova next
Next up for Swiatek is Samsonova, who defeated Laure Siegemund 7-5 6-3 to reach the Stuttgart semifinal.
"I've seen the scores, and it seems like [Samsonova] is getting more and more confident, and her ranking is going up," said Swiatek. "So for sure she's one to watch, and she's doing huge progress. ... I need to tactically prepare tomorrow, and I'll be ready." After clinching a straight-set win over Siegemund, Samsonova praised her German opponent.
"I knew that it was going to be a very tough match," Samsonova said. "The way she plays, she changes her game a lot, so I had to be very, very focused today." With the win over Raducanu, Swiatek clinched her 21st consecutive win. Swiatek has no previous meetings against Samsonova.