(Video) Emma Raducanu Gives Hilarious Reaction After Knowing She’ll Play Coco Gauff in Italian Open 4th Round
Emma Raducanu will meet Coco Gauff for the second time in her career in the fourth round of the Italian Open.
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Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu (Image via X/Coco Gauff Fan, LTA)
Emma Raducanu is playing at the Italian Open for the first time since 2022, making her second appearance. This year, she registered her first win in the tournament and went on to reach the fourth round.
But things are not expected to be easier for her now, for her fourth-round opponent is her fellow Grand Slam title winner Coco Gauff. The American ace entered the tournament after losing the Madrid Open final to World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Raducanu, before setting up the clash with the 2023 US Open champion, came from a set down to beat Veronika Kudermetova 5-7, 6-0, 6-1. Following her win, Raducanu was made aware that she will be facing Gauff in the fourth round. Raducanu smiled and jokingly asked if she indeed had set up a clash with the 21-year-old.
I haven’t looked at the draw. She’s a great competitor…Are you sure I’m playing Coco?
Emma Raducanu told Sky Sports after the match
Gauff has faced the Brit just once. They met in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open, which Gauff won in straight sets.
She is a great competitor. I think I am playing pretty good tennis right now. But she is going to be a good test. She has made the final of the French Open, so she is great on this surface. I am just going to keep focused by savoring this one for now.
Emma Raducanu added
Watch the video here:
"Are you sure I'm playing Coco?" 😅
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) May 11, 2025
Emma Raducanu finds out that she's playing Coco Gauff in the next round live on-air 🤣 pic.twitter.com/1ej6R6kewt
Gauff, the fourth seed, knocked out Magda Linette in the third round. She is chasing her first title of the season since winning the 2024 WTA Finals. Raducanu, on the other hand, is searching for her first title since making history by winning the 2021 US Open as a qualifier and as a teenager.
Emma Raducanu accused Veronika Kudermetova of taking a medical timeout to confuse her
Emma Raducanu was all smiles after her win over Veronika Kudermetova. She did not care much if Kudermetova tried to violate sportsmanship by taking a lengthy medical timeout during the second set.
Momentum kept shifting throughout the first set. Once it ended in favor of the 28-year-old, Raducanu made an emphatic comeback in the second set, racing to 5-0. It was then that the Russian ace called for a medical timeout.
It was difficult, but luckily I was 5-0 up when she took the time out. I kind of knew it was to throw me off! But at the same time, I kept my cool and luckily I had a good cushion and from the third set, I was really on it.
Emma Raducanu told Sky Sports
Prior to knocking out Kudermetova, the 22-year-old went past Maya Joint and Jil Teichmann. Before the final WTA 1000 European clay-court tournament, Raducanu was defeated in the second round of the Madrid Open. Her best performance this season came at the Miami Open where she reached the quarterfinal but fell in three sets against eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula.
Emma Raducanu could become a top 40 player if she beats Coco Gauff
Raducanu started the Italian Open from outside of the top 45. But she is now close to becoming a top 40 player.
At present, Raducanu stands in 42nd position in the live rankings after gaining 120 points. Gauff, on the other hand, has reached the second position after the third-round defeat of the defending champion Iga Swiatek, who now is a fourth-ranked player. Aryna Sabalenka continues to sit on top and won’t be losing her spot, even if Gauff ends the tournament in the Italian capital in her favor.
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