Coco Gauff gave herself high marks and even higher expectations after her commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over Emma Raducanu in the Round of 16 at the 2025 Italian Open.
Battling through blustery conditions on the clay courts of Rome, the 21-year-old awarded herself an “A” for her ability to adapt to the elements, all while keeping her sights locked on a deeper run toward the French Open.
Coco Gauff Cruises Into Rome Quarterfinals for the Third Time
The fourth seed entered the WTA 1000 event in Rome with growing confidence, having her runner-up finish in Madrid recently. Now, in her sixth main-draw appearance at the Italian Open, Gauff has made it to the quarterfinals for the third time in her career.
After receiving a bye in the first round, the American tennis star cruised past Canadian qualifier Victoria Mboko and 32nd seed Magda Linette to reach the Round of 16, where she defeated Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-2. The World No. 3 reached her third quarterfinals in Rome, where she will take on either 22nd seed Clara Tauson or seventh seed Mirra Andreeva.
After brushing aside Raducanu in straight sets, Gauff shared her thoughts during her post-match on-court interview. When asked to grade her performance, she didn’t hesitate to give herself a good remark.
“Definitely an A. It was tough conditions. It was super windy, and this court is super dry compared to the other ones,” she said, noting that her experience playing on the same court the previous day helped her adjust.
“Emma’s a tough opponent no matter what surface, and she’s tough to play, so I’m really happy with how I play,” Gauff added.
Gauff emphasized that she’s gaining rhythm with every match and pointed to her Madrid performance as a pivotal moment in her 2025 clay season.
“I think Madrid was a step in the right direction… Obviously, I lost in the finals, and I don’t like losing, especially in the finals, so I’m hoping to redeem myself here,” she added.
One aspect of her game that stood out in her latest win was her forehand, which she described as her biggest weapon on the day.
“It set me up for a lot of short balls, a lot of good points,” Gauff noted when asked what part of her game she hopes will carry her deep into Roland-Garros.
Coco Gauff Explains Why She Teamed Up With Alexandra Eala in Rome
The American tennis star is also participating in doubles with Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy alum Alexandra Eala as her partner. The American-Filipino duo defeated Alexandra Panova and Fanny Stollár to reach the Round of 16, where they will take on the Italian duo Tyra Caterina Grant and Lisa Pigato on May 13.
On the First Serve podcast, Gauff disclosed how she and Eala got together for the doubles event in Rome.
“She (Eala) slid in my DMs and asked me to play. And I was like, Sure. Why not? We really didn’t know each other, honestly, before in Madrid, I said hi to her for the first time (smiling). So I was just hoping she would be nice, and you know, and obviously she’s such a nice person. And obviously she’s a killer in doubles, two junior slams, and probably future ones too. I’m super happy to play with her,” Gauff said.
