Coco Gauff battled previous Emma Raducanu 6-3, 7-6(4) on Wednesday to succeed in the third spherical of the Australian Open, however not earlier than the 2 prodigies supplied followers a very good glimpse of what the way forward for ladies’s tennis may seem like after an absorbing first conflict.
Quite a bit is anticipated of French Open runner-up Gauff, who at 18 is 2 years youthful than Raducanu however has not tasted the Grand Slam success the Briton did as a youngster, and the seventh seed saved three breakpoints to win a primary set she managed.
Handed a prime-time slot on Rod Laver Arena following the retirements final yr of champion Ash Barty and 23-times main winner Serena Williams, the torch-bearers of a brand new period pushed one another arduous earlier than Gauff edged forward within the second set.
Having returned from an ankle harm suffered in a warm-up occasion in Auckland, Raducanu was troubled by an abs drawback after being damaged at 2-1 and Gauff pounced, earlier than heading off a late fightback by the 2021 Flushing Meadows champion to prevail.
“I just told myself to hang in there,” Gauff stated in her on-court interview. “Emma was playing really good tennis towards the end of the match and the whole match was great.
“In the beginning, we both started off rocky but I think the match was good quality for the most part. Considering the circumstances, both of us were nervous.
“This was a long-anticipated match since the draw came out so I’m glad the match was good for you guys.”
The victory – American Gauff’s a centesimal on the WTA Tour since her skilled debut 4 years in the past -also made her the primary ladies’s participant to succeed in the milestone earlier than turning 19 since former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki in 2009.
For Raducanu, it meant her wait to succeed in the third spherical of a Grand Slam since her U.S. Open triumph continued, because the world quantity 77 struggles on the massive stage amid harm woes and training modifications.
Her participation on the yr’s first main had appeared unsure within the aftermath of her ankle situation, with Raducanu saying that she had “expedited” her restoration.
“Kudos to Emma – she had a tough week in Auckland,” Gauff added. “So it’s good for her to be able to play this level after such a scary moment.”
Gauff subsequent takes on the winner of the match between fellow American Bernarda Pera and China’s Zheng Qinwen, hoping to win and match her finest run at Melbourne Park three years in the past.