Coco Gauff Advances at Australian Open After Beating Emma Raducanu

Coco Gauff triumphed in a challenging second-round match at the Australian Open on Wednesday, overcoming Emma Raducanu 6-3, 7-6.

Gauff, 18, remains unbeaten in seven matches this year, having claimed victory at the ASB Classic in Auckland earlier this month.

Facing Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, presented Gauff with arguably her toughest test of the year so far, and the match certainly met expectations.

Both athletes delivered high-quality shots at crucial moments, but it was the seventh-seeded Gauff who maintained the upper hand throughout.

“Given the circumstances, I think both of us were nervous,” Gauff said during her on-court interview. “This match-up was highly anticipated since the draw came out, so I’m glad it was a good match for the fans.”

The players exchanged breaks early on, but Gauff gained the advantage by breaking for a 4-2 lead and serving out the first set.

It seemed like Gauff would dominate the rest of the match when she led 3-1 in the second set, but Raducanu fought back, breaking Gauff to love at 3-4.

In a series of long, gripping rallies, Raducanu came close to leveling the match with two set points at 5-4.

However, Gauff’s exceptional movement and reliable serve helped her take the second set to a tiebreak.

Raducanu, unable to maintain her earlier form, fell to a 2-6 deficit in the tiebreak, and Gauff secured the win with a lob over Raducanu on her third match point.

Starting the Australian Open as one of the pre-tournament favorites, Gauff will continue her quest for a first grand slam title against either China’s Zheng Qinwen or American compatriot Bernarda Pera in the third round.

Raducanu, 20, sought to find some positives from her defeat, especially given that she had injured her ankle during her second-round match in Auckland before the start of the 2023 season’s first grand slam.

Since winning her first grand slam as an 18-year-old qualifier, Raducanu has struggled with form and injuries, dropping to 77th in the world rankings before the Australian Open.

“Everything was against us, and the chances of me playing this tournament were very, very low,” Raducanu told reporters.

“I had very limited practice time… Despite that, I still think I didn’t play my best today. Although I had chances in the second set and was pushing, I felt I could have done better.”

“But credit to her. She’s a great opponent and athlete.”