Emma Raducanu 'didn't know' how to play on clay as she targets world No 1 Stuttgart clash

Emma Raducanu has admitted she didn't know how to move on a clay court as little as a week ago as she now finds herself within one match of a showdown with world No 1 Iga Swiatek in Stuttgart. The US Open champion got off to a triumphant start at her first WTA tournament on the surface, dropping just three games in a 70 minute opening victory.

Raducanu has opened up on her lack of experience on the clay after adjusting to the surface perfectly in Stuttgart. The world No 12 needed 70 minutes to dispatch qualifier Storm Sanders 6-1 6-2 in her opening match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and is now one win away from her first meeting with the world No 1.

Opening up on her rapid improvement on the dirt, the 19-year-old confessed: "This time last week I was practising in Prague and I genuinely didn't know how to move. The fitness trainer was teaching me how to slide using a medicine ball. So I'm really pleased with how I've improved in a week."

The US Open champion benefitted from playing her maiden Billie Jean King Cup tie on the clay over the weekend, when the Czech Republic narrowly edged Great Britain 3-2 in the qualifiers. Raducanu's opening 7-5 7-5 win over Tereza Martincova on Friday was her first-ever professional match on the surface but things went south a day later as she suffered a right foot injury in her 6-1 6-1 loss to Marketa Vondrousova.

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The Bromley local appeared to make a full recovery in time for Stuttgart as she got her best win yet by scoreline since becoming the surprise US Open champion back in September, and was happy with her ability to get the win quickly after being involved in some three-set slogs so far this season. "Getting