Emma Raducanu is facing Coco Gauff in the Round of 16 at the Italian Open in Rome.
The former BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner is competing for a spot in the quarter-finals and is aiming for her second career title.
Raducanu secured her place in this round by coming from a set down to defeat Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday, recovering from a 5-7 loss in the first set to win the next two decisively, 6-0 and 6-1.
Gauff, the tournament`s fourth seed, reached this stage having dropped only one set in her first two matches, winning four consecutive sets against Victoria Mboko and Magda Linette.
Match Details
- Start time: 2pm BST
- TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event
Live Blog Updates
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Raducanu 0-3 Gauff*
Both players displayed excellent ball striking. Raducanu showed patience, waiting for a short ball and capitalizing with a powerful forehand winner. She followed up with a strong return directed at Gauff`s feet, earning a break point. However, Gauff defended well, hit an ace, and a wild return from Raducanu allowed her to escape the 30-40 situation.
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*Raducanu 0-2 Gauff
Gauff secures an early break. Raducanu struggled to gain an early advantage, and Gauff`s impressive depth forced her into two unforced errors during the game.
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Raducanu 0-1 Gauff*
The match is underway on the Grand Stand Arena in Rome. Given Raducanu`s aggressive style and Gauff`s somewhat inconsistent forehand on clay this week, it wasn`t surprising to see Emma targeting it early. Despite this, Coco held her serve, helped by an ace at 30-30.
Head-to-Head
Emma Raducanu and Coco Gauff have met on the court only once before. This encounter took place in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open.
Gauff won that match in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6, although Raducanu was dealing with an injury issue at the time.
Current Form
Raducanu appears to be in good form and has successfully navigated three matches to reach the Round of 16 in Rome, defeating Maya Joint, Jill Teichmann, and Veronika Kudermetova. This follows a positive run to the quarter-finals at the Miami Open. However, her clay court preparation in Madrid the previous week resulted in a challenging draw and a loss to Marta Kostyuk.
Coco Gauff, the world No. 3, is still seeking her first title of the year. While her season hasn`t reached her usual high standards, she did achieve a runner-up finish in Madrid last Sunday.
Match Preview
Welcome to the Italian Open, featuring a highly anticipated match between two Grand Slam champions. British star Emma Raducanu takes on American player Coco Gauff in the Round of 16 of this WTA 1000 event. Follow along for updates from Rome.
