Emma Raducanu beaten by Coco Gauff in Italian Open
Raducanu was bidding to reach a second WTA 1000 quarter-final of 2025 but lost 6-1 6-2 to the American.
Emma Raducanu exited the Italian Open at the last-16 stage after being outclassed in a straight-sets defeat by Coco Gauff.
Raducanu was bidding to reach a second WTA 1000 quarter-final of 2025, having reached the last eight in Miami in March, but fourth seed Gauff won 6-1 6-2 in the battle of the former US Open champions.
Gauff, who triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2023, two years after Raducanu, needed just 79 minutes to seal victory and will face either Russian seventh seed Mirra Andreeva or Denmark’s Clara Tauson next.
Raducanu had beaten Australian qualifier Maya Joint, Swiss lucky loser Jil Teichmann and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova to reach the fourth round but Gauff was unquestionably a step up in quality.
Despite the one-sided scoreline, the 22-year-old Briton had her moments in gusty conditions and a scorching forehand return to save match point was one of a number of highlight-reel winners.
But none of them came at critical junctures of the contest, with Raducanu unable to convert any of her three break opportunities, while she won just 47 per cent of points on her first serve in Rome.
Gauff, who won their only previous meeting at the 2023 Australian Open, broke twice in each set as the American’s ground strokes off each wing gave her 22-year-old British opponent plenty of problems.
Gauff, beaten in this month’s Madrid Open final by world number one Aryna Sabalenka, won 74 per cent of points on her first serve and prevailed on her second match point after Raducanu’s return went long.
Raducanu is determined not to be too downhearted by the result, telling Sky Sports: “I just know that every day I’m trying to be the best version of myself, I’m trying to win the day, and I’m trying to get back to that.
“I didn’t win on the match court today but I’m going to find a way to win the day still today. It was a tough one at the office, I just have to take a lot of positives.”
American Peyton Stearns also moved into the quarter-finals after a win over Naomi Osaka that was briefly interrupted by an unexpected air display.
With the match tied at 2-2 in the second set, play had to be held up while the Frecce Tricolori, Italy’s national air force display team, roared overhead trailing red, white and green plumes.
Stearns, the world number 42 who beat Australian Open winner Madison Keys in the previous round, also defied a bout of on-court illness to win 6-4 3-6 7-6 (4) and end Osaka’s eight-match winning streak.
In the men’s tournament, top seed and home favourite Jannik Sinner continued his successful return with a 6-4 6-2 win over Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong.
Despite losing an early break in the opening set, Sinner was well on top, and capitalised after De Jong fell and injured his wrist early in the second set.
Other winners included Casper Ruud, who led Matteo Berrettini by a set and break when the Italian was forced to retire due to injury, Alex de Minaur and Tommy Paul.
