Emphatic Emma Raducanu eases into Nottingham Open Quarter-Finals

Emma Raducanu is into her first tour-level Quarter-Final on grass after easing past Daria Snigur in two sets at the Nottingham Open.

Raducanu is showing perhaps why she decided not to play on clay. She skipped Roland Garros in favour of early preparation for the grass court season and it is paying off thus far. She was facing a tricky player in Snigur who showed her prowess on the surface by taking out one of the top seeds this week in Marta Kostyuk.

Her game relies on being flat and direct but in a 6-2, 6-2 win for Raducanu, she played into the Brit's hands after initial problems were confounded. Going 2-0 down in the opening set, there would've been some nerves in the Raducanu camp. But she countered them by winning six games in a row to claim the opening set. Raducanu missed a lot in the opening stanza in a nervy beginning, but as she began to find her range she was on a roll. Raducanu's serve in particular starred with a multitude of aces down her side of the court.

It was the opposite in the second and was more of a standard procession for Raducanu as she broke early and eased to the victory from there for her first ever grass court Quarter-Final. Next up will also be a good tie on paper for Raducanu as she faces either Fran Jones or Ashlyn Krueger for a spot in the semi-finals. Katie Boulter could yet await for the two standout Brits in the draw. They could meet for a final place so that is one to look out for later in the week.

But at least in the short term, it is very much job done for Raducanu as she moves on later into the tournament and for the first time too on the surface. Gamble pays off thus far.