Aus Open: Coco Gauff knocks out Raducanu in second round

World No.7 American Coco Gauff defeated 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-4, 7-6(4) in a scratchy first-time meeting with the Brit to enter the third round of the Australian Open, here on Wednesday. Gauff will face either Chinese Zheng Qinwen or Croatian-born American Bernarda Pera next, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16. The 18-year-old Gauff is the youngest-seeded player in the tournament and has now won seven consecutive matches to start her 2023 season. She opened her year with a dominant run to her third career title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, losing just 22 games across five matches. The opening set saw Gauff’s match-toughness come through, as the American was better on the critical points. She saved six of seven break points to stifle Raducanu’s momentum, winning the first set 6-3 after 43 minutes. Jannik Sinner of Italy produced a stunning performance to earn his second straight-sets victory of the Australian Open on Wednesday, breezing past Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry in John Cain Arena. The 21-year-old Italian took full advantage of his opportunity on one of three roofed courts where he raced into the third round defeating Etcheverry 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in a match that lasted for one hour, 44 minutes. Sinner, the 15th seed, won easily after converting on all five of his break points and preventing a break opportunity on his own service. With 32 victories, he controlled the majority of the rallies on serve and return. He then emphasised his advantage by hitting the net 22 times and scoring 20 of those points. Sinner, an ATP Tour champion with six titles, advanced to the quarterfinals of the AO last year but lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas. The two are slated to play again in this year’s fourth round, but the Italian must first defeat Marton Fucsovics or Lloyd Harris, and Tsitsipas must also advance to the round of 16.