British tennis star Emma Raducanu will face Coco Gauff in the next round of the Italian Open after an impressive comeback victory over Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, winning 5-7, 6-0, 6-1 on Sunday.
The determined Brit bounced back magnificently after losing the first set to secure her place in the round of 16 in Rome.
This victory adds further evidence of Raducanu's growing prowess on clay courts, with the French Open looming later this month.
Her resilient performance showcased remarkable mental fortitude, particularly after surrendering the opening set despite having served for it.
Emma Raducanu will face Coco Gauff in the next round of the Italian Open
Sky Sports/Reuters
Raducanu's dominance in the final two sets, dropping just a single game, demonstrated her superior fitness and tactical acumen.
Raducanu herself highlighted the mental progress she's made in recovering from difficult situations.
"The most pleasing part of today was recovering after losing the first set having served for it," she said.
She acknowledged a poor service game at 5-4 but remained composed despite feeling pressured by Kudermetova's aggressive returns.
"I'm so happy with the way I didn't let the rest of the match get away," Raducanu added.
"With me, that's big progress because of some of the matches I played in the past."
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Her ability to reset mentally after the first set proved decisive, as she completely dominated the remainder of the contest.
Raducanu will now face American star Gauff in the next round, who also secured a victory on Sunday.
The British player spoke confidently about the upcoming challenge against the highly-rated Gauff.
"[Coco Gauff] is a great competitor. I think I'm playing pretty good tennis right now and she is going to be a great test," Raducanu said.
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Emma Raducanu came back to deliver a crushing victory over Veronika Kudermetova, winning 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
Reuters
"She's made the final of the French Open and so she's great on this surface.
"I'm just going to keep focused but savour this one for now."
Raducanu also reflected on the technical improvements in her game, particularly on clay.
"I'm happy with the variety that I have with my shots.
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Emma Raducanu finds out that she's playing Coco Gauff in the next round live on-air 🤣 pic.twitter.com/1ej6R6kewt
"I was able to return from two different positions up and back, which is new.
"I think I adopted the back in the last two matches and it's helped me just get into the point and put me into a better position on the fourth ball."
Ever the perfectionist, Raducanu added: "I still think I can be better out of the corners."
