- The Brit lost the first set before steamrolling Veronika Kudermetova in Rome
- Emma Raducanu has now won three matches at a clay event for the first time
- The 22-year-old will challenge American tennis star Coco Gauff on Monday
Emma Raducanu’s renaissance continued as she came from a set down at the Italian Open to set up a fourth-round meeting with Coco Gauff on Monday.
In beating Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 5-7, 6-0, 6-1, Raducanu won three matches at a clay court event for the first time, and snapped a streak of 10 straight defeats when losing the first set.
The highlight of this victory was the variety with which it was achieved. Forehands spun deep and high, backhands cut low and short, from the second set onwards this was a pure display of patient clay court tennis. Raducanu made her opponent, a former world No 9, look one-paced and unimaginative by comparison.
What a test now awaits against the mighty Gauff; what a test of Raducanu’s dirtballing credentials. She will rise from 49th in the world to at least 42nd after this run; take down Gauff and Raducanu will overtake Boulter as British No1.
Her record since Mark Petchey was parachuted in as coach in Miami now stands at eight wins and just two defeats. There have been some technical adjustments – Petchey has advocated for a greater degree of shoulder turn in the serve to generate more power – but predominantly there has been a mindset shift from Raducanu.
In Miami she talked of being more relaxed off court, taking time to focus on things other than tennis. After the Madrid Open she spent some time walking in the Surrey countryside, ‘reconnecting with nature’, and arrived in Rome talking of a fresh start.
Emma Raducanu produced a stunning comeback to win again at the Italian Open on Sunday
In beating Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova she has now won three matches at a clay court event for the first time
Raducanu will now take on world No 2 Coco Gauff (above) in the Italian Open’s fourth round
It was instructive to hear her say that a late switch of opponent in her second-round match – after Ekaterina Alexandrova withdrew – worked in her favour because it meant she had no time to ‘overthink…I’m prone to that’.
There have indeed been times since her US Open title in 2021 when Raducanu has over-tinkered with her technique. In winning her Grand Slam she appeared to be playing on pure instinct and that is more like what we are seeing now.
A meeting with Kudermetova was a different proposition to the grit of Maya Joint in the first round and the tricky spins of Jill Teichmann in the second.
Kudermetova is a pure, flat ball-striker and plays well on clay, too, reaching the semi-finals here in 2023 and the quarters of the French Open the year before that.
So this was Raducanu’s biggest test of the week and for the third time in a row she was placed on the new Supertennis Arena. Allegedly 22C it felt at least five degrees warmer on a still day when the sunlight bounced off the all-white surrounds of the stadium.
The ball was zipping through the hot air and Kudermetova returned aggressively and effectively from the start. Raducanu did an excellent job of finding her best serves on the biggest points, and that kept her opponent at bay and allowed the British No 2 to serve for the set at 5-4.
But Raducanu threw in her worst game of the match, with two wild unforced errors and a double fault.
At 5-5 each woman had won exactly half the points in the match. Kudermetova held and then played a brilliant return game to break.
The Brit displayed superb versatility during the win, showcasing her range of strokes on clay
She will overtake Katie Boulter as Britain’s No 1 should she triumph against Gauff on Monday
After such an even battle – appropriate for a match between the world No 49 (Raducanu) and No 50 – a third set was not unexpected; what was a surprise was the manner in which it arrived, Raducanu streaking through eight games in a row.
As Raducanu began to mix things up and broke in the opening game of the second set, Kudermetova’s poise seemed to evaporate.
Her rhythm was snapped and she tried to relocate it in vain. She left the court for a medical timeout after the second set, although there was no obvious physical issue.
However hampered her opponent might have been, this was seriously impressive from Raducanu. Gauff, who is set to rise to world No 2, awaits.
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Emma Raducanu produces superb comeback against Veronika Kudermetova to book fourth round clash with world No 2 Coco Gauff at the Italian Open