'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABfAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAYQAAICAQQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABQYREiIxUgEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgURAAICAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAyEABBIR/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwC47htbZlmehXqh00u9aYvGWDuU6t2HPBBzTUNdE9CrK2nUuzwRsfF/ZUH6xjH27wRFmLHgWT6bHuUodXXjWV0jCEyKDzQpQBQrP//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Anastasia Potapova's run to the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Stuttgart Open) has caught the eye of Bianca Andreescu.
Potapova defeated Petra Martic and Coco Gauff to reach her fourth quarterfinal of the 2023 season. The win over Gauff was her second in a row against the American, having also gotten the better of her in Miami. The Russian has now doubled her career total wins against top-10 opponents from two to four.
Potapova took on fourth seed Caroline Garcia in the quarterfinals, where she mounted a comeback to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory. The 22-year-old's win was largely down to her committing fewer unforced errors - 42 vs Garcia's 69 - on the day.
Following the match, Potapova stated that she was happy to come through despite not playing to the best of her ability during the match.
"To be honest, I don't know," Anastasia Potapova said in the post-match interview. "Because today, I didn't play my best in the first set, or actually in the second set either. I'm very happy that in the third set I found a way."
Anastasia Potapova also took to Instagram to celebrate her first-ever semifinal at a WTA 500 tournament.
"Semifinalssss," Potapova captioned the post.
Bianca Andreescu, a close friend of Potapova's, commented under the post.
"Mhmmmm," Andreescu wrote.
The Russian then replied to Andreescu's comment with smiling emojis.
Bianca Andreescu and Anastasia Potapova's friendship blossomed in 2020, with the pair spending their pre-season training period together in Dubai. Potapova previously shared some details of their "incredible" experience during that time.
“We’ve known each other for such a long time. We played juniors together, maybe from when we were 10 years old. In Dubai, we got even closer because the pre-season is never easy for an athlete, so to have someone to go for a dinner with after a tough day was incredible," the 22-year-old said in an interview with Tennis.com in 2021.
Anastasia Potapova excited to face Aryna Sabalenka in Stuttgart Open SF
Following her win over Caroline Garcia, Anastasia Potapova disclosed that she had been waiting for the opportunity to play against her "good friend" Aryna Sabalenka.
"Aryna is my good friend, I think it's gonna be fun. I've been waiting for this match, I've really wanted to play against you Aryna I don't know if you're watching," Potapova said in her post-match interview.
Sabalenka fought back from a set down to defeat Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals and book her spot against Potapova. At the other end of the draw, World No. 1 Iga Swiatek will continue her title defense against Ons Jabeur in the semifinals of the Stuttgart Open.
