Coco Gauff has tried to edge ahead in the psychological battle ahead of her match with Emma Raducanu.
Both players secured convincing first round victories at the Australian Open to set up what will be their very first encounter. The teen defeated Kateřina Siniaková 6-1, 6-4, while the British number one beat German star Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 6-2.
Given her ranking and form of late, Gauff, who is ranked 70 places ahead of Raducanu and claimed her most recent WTA title in Auckland last week, explained the amount of pressure on the shoulders of the 2021 US Open champion is considerably higher from her perspective.
“Obviously she's gone through a lot of pressure, bursting onto the scene,” Gauff, world No 7, said.
“And especially I feel like being from the UK, being the first British person to do something in a long time, probably is a lot more pressure than what I'm used to being an American.”
Raducanu also competed in Auckland but was forced to withdraw from her second round match with Viktória Kužmová due to an ankle injury. Both the player and her legion of fans were sweating on her fitness ahead of the first Grand Slam of 2023, but the Bromley local put any doubts to bed with an accomplished performance.
Having started the season 6-0 without dropping a set after winning her third WTA title last week, Gauff will prove a difficult proposition for the world number 77, but it is a challenge she is relishing.
“I think she’s a great athlete,” said Raducanu. “When she first came at Wimbledon, I think it took her a little bit to adjust as well, but then she definitely found her feet. She’s playing really good tennis and looking really solid right now. She’s a great athlete with some big weapons. It’s going to be a tough opponent. I’m looking forward to the occasion.”
Commenting on the status of her ankle after competing at Melbourne Park, Raducanu added: “Everything I’ve done has been quite controlled the last week, to test [the ankle] out in a real match and with the unpredictability and stuff, just getting used to it in the beginning… but, yeah, it felt good.”
Elsewhere on the British front Down Under, Harriet Dart was unable to take advantage of a strong start in her first round match as she was beaten 7-5, 6-1 by Jil Teichmann, the 32nd seed. Dart had quickly established a 4-2 lead in the opening set but failed to capitalise on three break points for a 5-2 lead, and she was defeated after losing 10 of the final 12 games.
Men’s British number one Cam Norrie overcame a difficult first set to register a 7-6(3), 6-0, 6-3 win over teenager Luca Van Assche while Kyle Edmund, who made his comeback this month after injury, faced rampant Jannick Sinner and lost 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.
Dan Evans and former five-time Australian Open finalist Andy Murray will open their campaigns at Melbourne Park tomorrow against Facundo Bagnis and Matteo Berrettini respectively.
