Emma Raducanu’s Wimbledon preparations continued with a 6-2 6-2 victory over Ukraine’s Daria Snigur to book a Nottingham Open quarter-final place.
The former US Open champion produced a solid display in cool, windy conditions on grass to triumph with 11 aces proving very useful.
Raducanu had complained strongly about the line calling in her first-round win over Ena Shibahara, and there were a few more disputes here, with several overrules and both players voicing their unhappiness.
She struggled to find her range and timing in the first couple of games against 22-year-old Snigur, who is ranked 127th and proficient on grass having won the junior title at Wimbledon five years ago.
Raducanu, who could next meet good friend Francesca Jones, found herself 2-0 down but recovered the break immediately and a tough hold in the next game proved an important moment.
She reeled off six games in a row to clinch the first set and then broke again on a Snigur double fault in the third game of the second.
She had to save two break points at 3-2, with her serve again coming to the rescue, but broke again in the next game before wrapping up victory in an hour and 19 minutes.
“It was an extremely tricky match,” said Raducanu. “I knew from before I came on I needed to be on it today because Daria is a really good player and grass-court player especially.
“I’m very, very happy with how I managed it, especially in the beginning, and came through.”
Norrie suffers shock defeat to fellow Brit Pinnington Jones
However, Raducanu’s compatriot Cameron Norrie suffered a shock defeat on the men’s side of the Nottingham Open draw, losing 6-1 4-6 4-6 to 21-year-old Brit Jack Pinnington Jones.
Cam Norrie suffered a shock Nottingham Open defeat to fellow Brit Jack Pinnington Jones
Having breezed through the opening set in next-to-no-time, losing just one game, Norrie failed to clinically seal the match as Pinnington Jones stuck in to take the second set.
Norrie then went 2-0 ahead and 0-40 on the Pinnington Jones serve in the third-set decider, but the youngster fought back for a memorable win.
The result means Jack Draper will become the new British No 1 on Monday. Draper next faces American Frances Tiafoe in the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Open on Friday, live on Sky Sports Tennis.
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Find out all the ways to watch tennis on Sky Sports, including the US Open, ATP and WTA tours
In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch all of the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports as they compete across the grass-court season.
- Stuttgart Open (ATP 250) – June 10-16
- Rosmalen Open (ATP/WTA 250) – June 10-16
- Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
- Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
- Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
- Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29
Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
