sport news America's teenage star Coco Gauff is just too hot but there are signs of hope ... trends now
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.’
