Despite a tough journey, Emma Raducanu is making waves on clay. After wrist and ankle surgeries in 2023 and a disruptive back injury early in 2025, her comeback was complicated further by a stalker incident in Dubai. Following a first-round exit at Indian Wells, Raducanu showed promise by reaching the Miami Open quarterfinals. Though she lost in the second round of her initial clay debut to Kostyuk, she is now turning heads at the Italian Open, surging into the round of 16. Her next opponent will truly test if she’s ready for this stage.
On Sunday, Raducanu played incredible tennis to beat Veronika Kudermetova in Rome. After losing the first set despite serving at 5-4, she bounced back emphatically, winning 5-7, 6-0, 6-1 in just over two and a half hours. When told she would face Coco Gauff next, Raducanu seemed surprised.
She said, “I haven’t looked at the draw to be honest, but yeah, she’s a great competitor… Are you sure I’m playing Coco?” After confirmation, she added, “I think I’m playing pretty good tennis right now. And she is going to be a great test. I mean, she’s made the final of the French Open so she is great on this surface. And yeah, I’m just going to keep focus, but savor this one for now.”
“Are you sure I’m playing Coco?”
Emma Raducanu finds out that she’s playing Coco Gauff in the next round live on-air pic.twitter.com/1ej6R6kewt
— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) May 11, 2025
Coco Gauff is indeed formidable on clay. Last year, she reached the French Open semifinals before losing to eventual champion Iga Swiatek. Alongside Katerina Siniakova, Gauff also won the doubles French Open title. Notably, she was the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2022. Her clay record is impressive, boasting 75 wins and 28 losses (a nearly 73% win rate), compared to Raducanu’s 25 wins and 12 losses (67% win rate). This might put Raducanu at a slight disadvantage.
However, Emma Raducanu is showing a different side this time. She moved well on the red dirt, with outstanding defense. The 22-year-old crushed Kudermetova with powerful groundstrokes, winning 12 of the last 13 games to reach the last 16 in Rome for the first time. She still holds the 2021 US Open title and is focused on her goals, eager to follow through.
Raducanu’s win over Kudermetova was a rollercoaster. After a tight first set loss, she dominated the second set with a flawless 6-0 bagel and controlled the third 6-1. The momentum shift was dramatic as Kudermetova’s level dropped, and she even called for a physio at 5-0 down. Raducanu’s resilience and adaptability shone through, marking a milestone in her clay court development. Not to mention, she’s determined to reach her goals this time around.
Emma Reiterates Her “Priority” for This Season
Raducanu’s journey since her 2021 US Open triumph has been quite the ride. She made history as the first British woman to win a singles major since Virginia Wade in 1977. But injuries and inconsistency forced her to rethink everything. In July 2024, she admitted, “My priority is to develop my game, which means I probably won’t play many tournaments this year.” She played just 36 matches in 2024. By December, she was ready to up her game: “I want to play more than I did this year.” Fast forward to May 2025, and she’s already logged 18 matches across nine tournaments, showing real momentum.
This season, Raducanu’s record stands at 10-8, with her highlight being a quarterfinal run at the Miami Open. There, she knocked out world No. 9 Emma Navarro in the round of 64. After Miami, she skipped Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup tie to focus on a training stint in LA with her new part-time coach, Mark Petchey. Reflecting on that time, she said, “I’m happy with [the training block]… We created our own little bubble, and it was nice to be working on my game out there, but at the same time, having fun and enjoying it.”
Her mindset has shifted big time. After beating Jil Teichmann at the Italian Open, Raducanu told Tennis Channel, “Yeah, I’m a lot better now. I think when I was a bit younger, after the US Open and stuff, I was so focused, so locked in, and almost too locked in. I was too intense the whole time, the whole day… I wanted it too much in a way and it was putting more pressure.” Now, she’s learned to unwind and savor the little things: “Now, I’m a lot better at just you know relaxing and switching off and doing things that make me happy and I enjoy.” Whether it’s yoga, walking, or even doing laundry, she’s found joy in the everyday.
Raducanu’s new mantra? “Less is more.” She told Sky Sports, “It’s just making sure when I’m on the court I’m maxing out for X amount of time so I can focus, and then once I’m done, I’m switching off better.” With this fresh approach, she’s looked sharp in Rome and is set to face Coco Gauff next.
Their only previous clash was at the 2023 Australian Open, where Gauff took the win, making their head-to-head 1-0. Will Raducanu get her clay-court revenge? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
The post “Gonna Be a Great Test,” Emma Raducanu Savors Her Victory in Rome as She Takes On Coco Gauff in the Next Round appeared first on EssentiallySports.
