Emma Raducanu is eliminated at the Australian Open after battling for a comeback with a set and a collapse as she faltered against America’s teenage world No. 7 Coco Gauff, with Brit missing two set points
- Emma Raducanu was beaten by Coco Gauff in the second round of the Australian Open
- The British hope had fought back after collapsing to force a second set tiebreak
- But she lost two set balls in the decisive game before Gauff prevailed
- Raducanu consistently let down with double faults and unforced errors
- Gauff was tested more in the second set but dug deep to reach the third round
Amid a barrage of mistakes, winners and wild, hard-hitting Coco Gauff, she clinched the loot in a vibrant first meeting with Emma Raducanu.
A rapid-fire battle of sometimes bewildering intensity ended with the 18-year-old American knocking out Raducanu in the second round 6-3, 7-6 in an hour and 42 minutes from the Australian Open.
From puristic quality to the higher quality climax – up to then there were plenty of mistakes – it was a romp worth seeing and Gauff was the deserved winner in the end.
Coco Gauff defeated Emma Raducanu to reach the third round of the Australian Open
The Brit’s game was riddled with mistakes and she ended up second best to the American
Raducanu failed to string together enough solid points as she tried to stay with world No. 7 before forcing two set points to put her in the decider.
The ranking gap between them is vast at 70 spots currently, but it was a useful exercise in showing just how much work the 20-year-old from Kent has to do.
With by far the best teenager in the world, she was still extremely competitive, and that after a difficult tournament preparation.
“I told myself to stay tuned, I played great tennis at the end of the match,” said Gauff, who won the tiebreak 7: 4. ‘
We were both nervous, it was a long awaited match but I thought it was good. You have to expect to play best and you hope it’s not the second round.
Raducanu was able to keep up with world No. 7 at times but let himself down with unforced errors
Gauff had total control in the opening set but was tested in the second before prevailing
“Kudos to Emma, she had a tough week in Auckland last week and it’s good for her that she was able to play this type of match.”
Both players had the luxury of knowing that their match would come on a day of unsettled weather, with constant showers and temperatures well into the low 60’s.
With the roof closed over the Rod Laver Arena, Gauff would have the advantage of having played on this course before. The huge dimensions of the playing surface can be adjusted a bit.
Raducanu picked up a game to set her sights but was soon trading fierce punches with the 18-year-old, who these days combines power with her incredibly impressive court reporting.
Raducanu seemed uncomfortable as the second set progressed
The British player wanted to tee off her returns at any moment and it almost paid off as she scored two break points in game three against a 120mph serve.
Forced to rearfoot by Gauff’s penetrating punches, she fell behind in the next game but again forced two break points in the fifth game. This time it was presented to her with a double fault.
Raducanu’s problem was a first serve percentage close to 50 and too many unforced errors as she pushed a little too much against the American, who had also jettisoned all precautions.
There were a total of 36 unforced errors in the first set, which went in Gauff’s direction as she saved three break points when the score was 5-3. As Gauff tightened, Raducanu couldn’t get enough on her returns to take chances.
Gauff saved two set points in the second set to force a tie break, which she won 7-4 to progress
A promising star in the second set for the British player was ruined when she delivered two double faults in game three to be broken.
She broke back at 4-4 and then maintained her best time of the game before scoring two set points to level it all. On the first, she backhanded for a long time and then floated an attempt that was agonizingly short on the second.
Raducanu appeared to be the stronger player going into the tie-break, with the overall level of play improving.
Recapturing her opponent’s aggressive and often spot-on drives, Gauff’s superb defense carried her into the tie-break and she went 4-2, locking in the advantage by tightening her game when she needed it most.
Gauff praised Raducanu’s fighting skills given the injury she sustained in Auckland last week
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