American third seed Coco Gauff delivered a ruthless demolition of Britain's Emma Raducanu at the Italian Open, cruising to a dominant 6-1, 6-2 victory.
The clash between the two former US Open champions proved decidedly one-sided as Gauff's superior clay court prowess was on full display.
Raducanu entered her first last-16 match at the prestigious Rome tournament in buoyant form.
However, she was swiftly overwhelmed by a blistering performance from her American opponent.
Emma Raducanu was well-beaten by Coco Gauff on Monday
Reuters
Gauff's supreme physicality and exceptional movement around the court proved the decisive factor in this lopsided encounter.
The 21-year-old American's victory sets up a quarter-final appearance as her impressive form continues.
Despite beginning with a double fault, Gauff kept further mistakes to a minimum as she quickly broke Raducanu's serve.
The British No. 2 struggled in the early wind conditions and found herself outmatched on the clay surface.
Raducanu finally got on the scoreboard at 3-1, at her third attempt on serve, but the opening set firmly belonged to Gauff.
A sublime cross-court forehand from Raducanu briefly unsettled the frontrunner, bringing a smile to the Brit's face for the first time.
That moment of resistance proved fleeting as Gauff claimed the next three games with ruthless efficiency.
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The American wrapped up the first set in just 39 minutes, demonstrating her clay court credentials.
Raducanu appeared somewhat reticent to slide in and out of the clay corners, hampering her movement against the fleet-footed American.
The Brit started the second set with an important hold, showing signs of improvement from the opening frame.
Gauff responded by serving out her first game to love, conserving energy for her next assault on the Raducanu serve.
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Coco Gauff proved too good for Emma Raducanu and underlined why she is one of the favourites to win the Italian Open
Reuters
Though not at her free-flowing best, Raducanu managed a second hold to better her tally from the opening set.
However, Gauff, widely regarded as one of the fastest players on tour, moved from side to side with mindblowing speed.
The American's exceptional court coverage allowed her to break Raducanu and gain the upper hand once more.
Coach Mark Petchey applauded Raducanu's aggressive approach, moving Gauff to every corner of the court.
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Emma Raducanu was no match for Coco Gauff's powerful forehand
Reuters
Despite her valiant efforts, Raducanu had nothing to show for her aggressive tactics against the formidable American.
Play momentarily paused as the blustery Rome wind intensified, creating challenging conditions for both players.
Gauff expertly judged a ball heading out of play while Raducanu sent wide her biggest opportunity to secure a break of serve.
At this stage, having squandered her chance to rattle Gauff, Raducanu was playing back-to-the-wall tennis.
The Brit could do little but watch as her opponent broke serve once more and held on to complete the comprehensive victory.
Gauff's commanding performance secured her place in the quarter-finals, where she will face either seventh seed Mirra Andreeva or Danish player Clara Tauson.
