Emma Raducanu continued her impressive form on clay with a confident victory over former world No 8 Daria Kasatkina at the Internationaux de Strasbourg.
The British No2 surged to a commanding 6-1, 6-3 win in her final tournament before the French Open, which begins on Sunday.
It is Raducanu’s first victory over Kasatkina in four attempts and continues her career-best form on clay.
Supported by new coach Mark Petchey, Raducanu moved beautifully around the court and dictated play against the Russian-turned-Australian.
Emma Raducanu won 6-1, 6-3 in her final tournament before the French Open
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Raducanu won an impressive opening set in just 29 minutes, with Kasatkina committing 18 unforced errors on the clay courts of Strasbourg.
The second set proved more challenging, with seven breaks in eight games during a fluctuating period of play.
However, the 22-year-old maintained her composure to close out the match against an opponent she had previously failed to defeat in their three earlier encounters.
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Emma Raducanu is set to play American Danielle Collins in the next round
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Following her victory, Raducanu expressed pride in her performance: "I'm really proud of my performance. How I came out and I was really aggressive.
"I also managed to maintain my focus in the second set when it was getting close and Daria was playing some great points when I was trying to serve the match out so I'm really proud of today's performance."
The British star acknowledged her growing confidence on clay, adding: "I think I've been building towards this.
"It's a great feeling because I think I had three great matches in Rome and the fourth I played an opponent who was better than me on the day [Coco Gauff].
"To kind of bring that level here, I'm really proud."
Raducanu's recent form includes three consecutive victories at the Italian Open last week, showing her increasing comfort on the surface.
She now faces experienced American Danielle Collins in the last 16 on Wednesday, as she continues her preparations for the French Open.
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Raducanu has shown remarkable versatility on clay, a surface she is still adapting to.
She added: "I think as I spend more time on clay I'm starting to like it more and more. I'm building my relationship with the surface."
The 22-year-old won every type of exchange against Kasatkina, who is currently ranked No 17 in the world.
Raducanu's mature approach was evident throughout the match as she employed variety in her game, including effective use of slice, drop shots and impressive movement around the court.
This performance suggests she is thriving under the guidance of Andy Murray's former coach, Petchey, and long-time ally Jane O'Donoghue.
The British star appears to be in excellent form, playing some of her best tennis in years, particularly on clay, where she continues to develop her skills.
