Mirra Andreeva wanted to be "fearless" against Iga Swiatek and brilliantly came from behind to beat the Pole and book her place in the Stuttgart Open semi-finals.

Andreeva has now won three straight matches against Swiatek, having also triumphed in Dubai and Indian Wells last year, after she earned a 3-6 6-4 6-3 comeback win in two hours and 36 minutes.

Swiatek recovered from a break of serve in the first game to quickly pull level at 2-2 before surviving a six-deuce game to hold for 3-2 on her way to taking the first set.

Andreeva did not let her level drop, though, and held her nerve as the pair traded breaks early in the second before forcing a decider with a brilliant forehand return winner on set point.

Though Swiatek broke first in the third set, Andreeva took total control while 2-0 down and reeled off five straight games before converting her second match point attempt.

"I was just trying to be fearless," Andreeva said in her on-court interview.

"I was trying to go for my shots because I know when I'm getting tight, I tend to just put the ball in… just waiting, praying for the opponent to make a mistake.

"And I knew that against someone like [Swiatek], it was never going to happen. So, I was forcing myself to finish the match on my own."

Andreeva will face Elena Rybakina in the semi-final, with the Kazakh overcoming an early scare to win in three sets.

Despite losing a first-set tie-break to Leylah Fernandez, Rybakina triumphed 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-6 (8-6) in just over three hours.

Fernandez wasted three set points before eventually going on to clinch the opening set, but Rybakina looked more confident in the second as she forced a decider.

The Canadian looked set to cause an upset after taking a 4-2 lead in the third set, but Rybakina fought back to win the tie-break and book her place in the final four.

Data Debrief: Andreeva shows her grit

Despite a disappointing start, Andreeva made sure she kept her head held high, and Swiatek was unable to deal with her second-set fight.

The Russian finished the second set with 13 winners, more than double the six she hit in the opener.

And Swiatek has lost her second career clay court match after having claimed the opening set in a WTA-level main draw (the previous was seven years ago in Prague vs Karolina Muchova).