Coco Gauff claims Emma Raducanu is under ‘a lot MORE pressure’ at Australian Open
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Coco Gauff claims Emma Raducanu is under ‘MORE pressure’ to win their Australian Open showdown, despite the American being 70 HIGHER in the world rankings, as the teen stars gear up for the Melbourne battle.
- Coco Gauff will face British star Emma Raducanu at the Australian Open next
- Gauff, 18, Katerina Siniakova in the first round to host the highly successful meeting
- Raducanu won the US Open in 2021 and Gauff says he has “more pressure” on her
Coco Gauff believes all the pressure is on British number 1 Emma Raducanu ahead of her blockbuster match at the Australian Open.
The 18-year-old Gauff made easy work of Czech player Kateřina Siniaková in the first round, knocking her out in a 6-1, 6-4 win.
The Atlanta-born star is now set to face former US Open winner Raducanu and Gauff is convinced the 20-year-old Brit has to deal with “a lot more pressure” despite being separated by 70 places in the world rankings. .
World No.7 Coco Gauff (left) says Emma Raducanu (right) has “more pressure” when they play
“Obviously, she’s been through a lot of pressure, bursting onto the scene,” said Gauff, the world number 7.
‘I feel like probably more than I’ve ever experienced coming here to win a Grand Slam.
“And I especially feel like being from the UK, being the first British person to do something in a long time, is probably a lot more pressure than I’m used to being an American.”
Gauff made it through the first round and the American teenager will face Raducanu in the second round.
Gauff, whose best run in Australia was the fourth round in 2020, added when asked if she feels the weight of responsibility for her own country: “Serena is retired now, but she was always the American that people looked up to.”
Gauff and Raducanu have never met in singles before, but they struck up a friendship in the dressing room and the British star is “looking forward” to the contest.
‘I’m really looking forward to this game. I am very ready for it,’ said Raducanu, after defeating Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch 6-3, 6-2.
Raducanu is a former US Open winner and Gauff feels that brings more pressure to her door.
“Obviously, Coco has done a lot of good things and is playing well.
“I think we’re both good young players, we’re both coming up, part of the next generation of tennis, really. It’s going to be a great match.
The match will take place on Tuesday, January 17, but a time is yet to be determined with the order of play yet to be revealed.