Coco Gauff defeats Emma Raducanu at the Australian Open in 2 sets

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff Two points away from being pushed into a third set, Emma Raducanu At the Australian Open But she remained calm and won 6-3, 7-6(4) victory Wednesday in the first head to head match between two young tennis stars.

“This was a long-anticipated matchup,” said the seventh-seeded Gauff, who was the runner-up to No. 1 Iga Swaiatek at last June’s French Open. “Basically since the draw came out.”

The 18 year-old Florida girl moved into Melbourne Park’s third round for the first time since 2020. She is the youngest woman in the women’s field.

Raducanu, a 20 year-old British player, has never made it past the second stage at a Grand Slam event since she won the 2021 U.S. Open in her teens. She became the first qualifier to win a major trophy.

Raducanu, currently ranked 77th has been suffering from an ankle injury. She was close to winning this match and held a pair set points, while leading 5-4 in the second.

Raducanu missed her first chance. She sailed a backhand straight. She attempted a drop shot but it was blocked.

That allowed Gauff to keep the serve. More miscues by Raducanu tilted the tiebreaker — and the match — Gauff’s way.

“I just told myself,” Gauff said, “to hang in there.”

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