Emma Raducanu saw her hugely positive run at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart ended by world No 1 Iga Swiatek after producing an encouraging display.
Swiatek defeated Raducanu 7-6(2), 6-3 in the quarter-finals in Stuttgart on Friday to extend her record at the event to an impressive 10-0.
The four-time Grand Slam champion is seeking a third straight title at the WTA 500 clay-court tournament, having won it on her only two previous appearances.
Raducanu made a quick start by breaking Swiatek in the opening game, before the 22-year-old Pole hit back by breaking in a lengthy 19-point second game.
There were no further breaks as a tight and high-quality first set went to a tiebreak. Swiatek raced to a 4-0 lead to take command of the tiebreak, before she won it 7-2 to clinch the opening set.
The world No 1 then broke Raducanu to love in the opening game of the second set, but the Brit showed resistance by fending off five break points to avoid going a double break down.
Raducanu eventually succumbed after sending a forehand long when serving to stay in the match at 3-5, 15-40 as Swiatek converted her first match point.
Swiatek will face world No 4 Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals in Stuttgart on Saturday after the Kazakh defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the quarter-finals.
Following her run to the last eight of the event, Raducanu is set for a considerable jump in the WTA Rankings. The 21-year-old, who was ranked 303rd going into this week, has climbed 82 places to 221st position in the live Rankings.
The 2021 US Open champion earned impressive and convincing straight-set wins over Angelique Kerber and Linda Noskova to make the quarter-finals in Stuttgart. She crushed Kerber 6-2, 6-1 in the first round, before earning a 6-0, 7-5 second round victory over Noskova.
The tournament continued a very positive start to the clay-court season for Raducanu after her performances for Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup last week.
Raducanu helped Britain overcome France 3-1 in Le Portel in the BJK Cup qualifying round with three-set triumphs over Caroline Garcia and Diane Parry.
The former world No 10 could next feature at the Madrid Open, where she will require a wildcard to enter. The WTA 1000 event will begin on April 23.
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