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 next obstacle will be Cristina Bucsa of Spain, who eliminated former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu 2-6 7-6(7) 6-4.
Another former US Open champion that was sent home on Wednesday was Sloane Stephens, as the American lost to Anastasia Potapova 7-6(2) 6-4.
Third seed Jessica Pegula was tested in the second set against Aliaksandra Sasnovich before advancing 6-2 7-6(5). Sixth seed Maria Sakkari had an even tougher challenge in Russian qualifier Diana Shnaider — the teenager on her Grand Slam main draw debut threatened an upset by winning the first set before the Greek favorite regrouped to win 3-6 7-5 6-3.
The first women’s Top 20 seed to lose at this year’s Australian Open is two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who reached the final in Melbourne in 2019. The 15th seed fell to Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina 7-5 6-4.
American Madison Keys defeated Wang Xinyu 6-3 6-2 in the second round.
This was such an entertaining match.
I loved the skirt and top combination Emma wore during the match.
It’s such a pity there is no unique Nike dress- I loved their custom designs for Serena, Maria or Naomi. This year it’s just the same dress or skirt/top. I guess there really isn’t a player to wear this type of dress … shame.
Karo, they tried to make Naomi the new Serena or Maria in terms of fashion, but it turns out she’s not playing that much…. No other player is showing the potential.