Seventh seed Coco Gauff worked her way past former US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-3 7-6(4) to move into the third round of the Australian Open.
After three consecutive breaks in the first set, the 18-year-old Gauff had the upper hand and held serve to consolidate her lead, 5-2. The 20-year-old Raducanu had three break points in the ninth game, which was her chance to get the set back on serve, but in the end it was Gauff who converted her second set point, 6-3.
In the second set, Gauff was again the first player to lead by a break, but this time Raducanu broke back at love for 4-4, held serve in the following game and had two set points on her opponent’s serve. The Brit wouldn’t make use of her opportunities and Gauff clinched victory in a tiebreak.
We have to note that Raducanu, dressed in the new Nike Women’s Spring Slam Tank and Nike Women’s Spring Slam Skirt, was often putting her hand on her stomach, as if she had stomach strain that was taking a lot of pace off her serve.
Earlier on Wednesday, top seed Iga Swiatek moved into the third round with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Camila Osorio. The world No.1 said that the win was not as easy as the score suggests and that the match was very intense physically as her opponent didn’t give away any free points. The Pole’s…
