One up-and-coming Canadian tennis player edged into the semifinals of the Stuttgart Open on Friday but another fell short.
Felix Auger-Aliassime needed two tiebreaks to beat Ugo Humbert of France 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8).
Canada's Auger-Aliassime failed to convert three match points in the second-set tiebreak and had to save set point twice before winning three straight points to seal the quarterfinal.
Dominic Stricker from Switzerland return the ball during his match against Sam Querrey of the United States at the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, June 11, 2021. (Marijan Muratdpa via AP)
That set up a semifinal for Auger-Aliassime against Sam Querrey of the United States, who recovered from a set down to beat fast-climbing Swiss 18-year-old Dominic Stricker, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-3.
Top-ranked Canadian Denis Shapovalov lost another close match 7-5, 7-6 (3) against veteran former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic. It was always likely to be a tough match for Shapovalov because he was playing for the second time on Friday after ousting Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-3 in the finish of a second-round match delayed from Thursday because of rain.
Cilic's semifinal opponent is Austrian Jurij Rodionov, who upset fourth-seeded Australian Alex de Minaur 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Dominic Stricker from Switzerland reacts during his match against Sam Querrey of the United States at the ATP tennis tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, June 11, 2021. (Marijan Muratdpa via AP)
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Top-ranked Iga Swiatek ended U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu's first clay tournament run by 6-4, 6-4 to move into the Stuttgart Open semifinals on Friday.
Swiatek extended her win streak to 21 matches and moved closer to what would be a fourth consecutive title after victories in Doha, Indian Wells and Miami.
The quarterfinal was much closer than their only previous encounter at any level, a 6-0, 6-1 win for Swiatek at 2018 Junior Wimbledon, but Raducanu's lack of experience on clay still told against former French Open champion Swiatek.
Britain's Emma Raducanu reacts during her WTA Tour, quarterfinal tennis match against Poland's Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, April, 22, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Swiatek immediately broke Raducanu and held serve with ease to take a first set in which Raducanu won just three return points. Raducanu improved markedly in the second set — despite needing a medical timeout after an examination of her lower back and hip at 2-1 down — and made Swiatek work hard.
Raducanu was in her first career WTA tournament on clay after playing on the surface for the first time at senior level last week for Britain against the Czech Republic in the Billie Jean King Cup. The clay-court swing was already over last year when Raducanu burst onto the scene with a charge to the fourth round on the grass of Wimbledon.
Friday's contest was the 19-year-old British player's first match against an opponent ranked in the world's top 10, as she aimed to win three matches at the same tournament for the first time since her shock U.S. Open title.
Poland's Iga Swiatek returns a ball during her WTA Tour, quarterfinal tennis match against Britain's Emma Raducanu in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, April, 22, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Swiatek goes on to face Liudmila Samsonova in the semifinals after the Russian won 7-5, 6-3 against home favorite Laura Siegemund of Germany.
Paula Badosa and Aryna Sabalenka meet in the other semifinal.
Badosa outlasted Ons Jabeur 7-6 (9), 1-6, 6-3 to reach the last four after having lost in the quarterfinals at her last two tournaments in Miami and Charleston.
Britain's Emma Raducanu reacts during her WTA Tour, quarterfinal tennis match against Poland's Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, April, 22, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Sabalenka ended a seven-month wait for a tour semifinal since last year's U.S. Open, the Belarusian hitting 10 aces as she beat Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.
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Poland's Iga Swiatek returns a ball during her WTA Tour, quarterfinal tennis match against Britain's Emma Raducanu in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, April, 22, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Britain's Emma Raducanu returns a ball during her WTA Tour, quarterfinal tennis match against Poland's Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart, Germany, Friday, April, 22, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
