Coco Gauff is still just 18 years old, yet she is competing in the main draw of the Australian Open for the fourth time. She has already been around the world countless times, she has overcome difficult moments and put hard lessons into action. Despite being a year and a half younger than Emma Raducanu, her opponent on Wednesday night, as a professional tennis player she has already seen so much more.
In a slow-burning contest that saw the intensity and quality peak in the second set, Gauff’s experience came to the fore in the important moments as she saved two set points in a tight second set before edging out Raducanu 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach the third round of the Australian Open.
“This was a long-anticipated match up basically since the draw came out. You have to win seven matches and when you go into the tournament you have to expect to play the best. I’m glad both of us handled the pressure pretty well. Kudos to Emma – I know she had a tough week in Auckland,” said Gauff.
It was a match between two of the most high-profile young players on the WTA, but they arrived on Rod Laver Arena having enjoyed completely different preparations. While Gauff started the season in excellent form, winning her third WTA title in Auckland without dropping a set, Raducanu sprained her ankle in the second round of the same tournament and she spent her subsequent days racing in time to be fit for the Australian Open.
The contrast between their game styles was striking, with Raducanu’s early, clean shot-making meeting Gauff’s defence and all-court intelligence. The American’s movement won the early battles as she continually retrieved extra balls and forced errors out of Raducanu.
The first set was settled in a long deuce game on Gauff’s serve, during which the British player generated two break points. However, each time she needed to, Gauff found a precise serve or retrieved one extra ball to hold on.
“She is a great mover, great athlete,” said Raducanu. “Puts another ball in play, so you feel like you have to squeeze it closer to the line and then she kind of teases errors out of you that way.”
Gauff marched with the momentum and established a 6-3, 4-2 lead. But as victory neared, her forehand began to leak errors under pressure. Raducanu found greater balance in her shotmaking and she pulled herself back into the set. She then generated two set points on Gauff’s serve, but just could not execute when it mattered. On her second set point, Raducanu pushed Gauff back but her drop shot struck the net.
As they moved towards a second set tie-break, the intensity and quality skyrocketed. Raducanu continued to dictate from inside the baseline, but Gauff flitted from corner to corner, constantly finding a way to retrieve an extra ball and eke out an error. This time, defence won through against attack as Gauff saw out a tough, chaotic battle in two sets.
“I think I stayed calm when I needed to and made first serves when I needed to, held when I needed to,” said Gauff of facing set points. “I think that definitely comes with maturity. I feel like in the past I would have freaked out in that moment.”
Despite her disappointment at her missed opportunities and final result, Raducanu digested her defeat with perspective after a hectic week after spraining her ankle in Auckland and rushing to be ready to compete in Melbourne.
Raducanu said her next tournament is uncertain, but she is in a good place and keen to continue the foundations she has built with her coach, Sebastian Sachs, since she recruited him on a trial basis at the end of last year.
“I’m actually just looking forward to putting in the work, and I feel, as I said before, I’m putting in a good system in place, and I’m really buying into and trusting the work that I’m doing with Sebastian and the rest of the team,” she said.
As she discussed the similarities they share as youngsters who have both faced significant attention and scrutiny so soon into their careers. Gauff noted that people should allow them room to grow and to even make mistakes.
“Last year was my first full year on tour. I think last year was her first full year, as well,” said Gauff. “I think it’s something that people need to remember and be reminded of.”
“I think fans are eager to see a new face of the game. I think it’s also a reminder, even if we didn’t play tennis, we’re just normal teenagers living our life. If we made a mistake, people would say, ‘You’re just 20, you’re 18 years old, you can bounce back.’”
In her time around the tour, Gauff has already done plenty. In the key moments of what could be the first meeting of many, her experience was reflected in the important moments and she departed Rod Laver Arena with a deserved win.
Cameron Norrie, the 11th seed, moved into the third round of the Australian Open with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 win over Constant Lestienne of France. After rain delayed play for much of Wednesday, Norrie’s match started at 10pm and ended at 1.28am. Norrie, who recovered from a 2-5 deficit in the second set, will next play talented young Czech Jiri Lehecka.
