If this is what the future of women’s tennis looks like then there is hope it will soon be sailing out of its current doldrums.
Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu captivated the Rod Laver Arena with a pulsating second-round contest at the Australian Open on Wednesday, which ultimately went the way that had been expected.
The American took the spoils in their first, but certainly not last, meeting when she edged out the former US Open champion 6-3, 7-6, in just under an hour and three quarters.
Emma Raducanu was beaten by Coco Gauff in a pulsating contest at the Australian Open
It went by in a blur of furious exchanges and left the crowd and Raducanu wanting more. They so nearly would have had it, only for the British player to fall short on the two set points she created near the end.
‘I would really like to play her again, maybe with more than five hours under my belt of practice,’ reflected Raducanu, referring to the injury struggles which struck yet again in the lead-up to the tournament.
‘She’s a great opponent, and I think we are going to be playing each other many times in the future as we are both young and coming. We are going to be the next generation.’
The American teenager overcame Raducanu to progress to the Australian Open third round
That Gauff, 18, with burgeoning power being added to her natural athleticism, will be among the elite of the sport for a long time is beyond doubt, and how she is needed. Raducanu’s place at the top table is not quite so assured, but she showed enough to suggest it is likely she will get there for a sustained amount of time.
She definitely has the appetite, and suggested afterwards that more evidence of this will have emerged by the time Wimbledon comes around.
‘I’m just looking forward to putting in the work, and I feel I’m putting a good system in place, and I’m really buying into and trusting the work that I’m doing with Sebastian (Sachs, her current coach) and the rest of the team,’ said Raducanu. ‘I’m feeling good and confident that in six months I know I’m not going to be the finished product, but hopefully I will have made strides.’
The Brit’s game was littered with errors and in the end she was second-best to the American
This is all dependent on the kind of sustained clean bill of health which has been so elusive since the US Open of 2021. Hopefully the regular injury bulletins, which she rarely undersells, will become less of a feature when the big tournaments come around.
‘I think 13 days ago if you would have told us you are going to be in the draw and win a round, it would have been a massive effort for sure,’ the 20-year-old reflected. ‘I was on crutches and doing pool rehab.
‘Saying that, I still think I didn’t necessarily play my best. Although in the second set I had chances and was pushing, I felt like I could have done better. I had a lot of chances, so it obviously sucks a bit, but it’s fine. Props to her, she’s a great opponent and great athlete.’
Raducanu had struggled with injury before opening Grand Slam of the season in Melbourne
At least Sachs looks like he is imposing a clear idea of how Raducanu intends to play, replacing the flux that was sometimes apparent last year. She never looks better than when taking the ball early. ‘I played aggressive, and also I know I’m not going to beat Coco right now by pushing the ball in and trying to outrun her. It’s just not how I want to play either,’ said Raducanu.
‘I have that vision of myself being an aggressive player. I didn’t want to get out there into really long, extended rallies with her, and not in the condition I’m currently in either.’
It would have been an upset had she won this battle of breathless baseline rallies and 83 unforced errors, 42 of which came from the British No 1. At least Raducanu made the 70 rankings places between her and the world No 7 look inflated. Not that Gauff, so mature beyond her tender years, had expected an easy ride.
Gauff had total control in the opening set but was tested in the second before prevailing
‘I knew she’s a Grand Slam champion, that she had it in her,’ said the American. ‘She raised her level a lot towards the end of the second set. It takes a lot of resilience to do that, especially on the big stages in the big matches. When you’re down a set and a break, it’s easy to throw in the towel. She did a good job of raising her level when she needed to.’
Having fought back to 5-4, Raducanu sent a backhand long on her first set point, then underhit an attempted drop shot on the second.
Ultimately, Gauff’s hugely impressive defensive skills and court coverage got her through a close encounter which ended with her 76 points beating Raducanu’s 71.
Raducanu will now head home, possibly having a short break en route. Her tournament options are in Mexico or the Middle East next month before all roads lead to the US for the hard-court events in March.
Defeat to Gauff saw Raducanu’s Grand Slam struggles since she won the US Open continue