Italian Open: Raducanu defeats Kudermetova to set up last-16 clash with Gauff

Emma Raducanu won against Russian Veronika Kudermetova 5-7, 6-0, 6-1 to move into the last 16 of the Italian Open at the Foro Italico in Rome.

The Briton had served for the opening set at 5-4, before losing serve twice in succession to see Kudermetova snatch a one-set lead away from Raducanu.

But the former US Open champion responded excellently. Raducanu steamrolled her way to a bagel second-set win to level the score as the Russian’s own level dipped dramatically amid apparent physical issues.

Kudermetova could only muster one more game in the match as Raducanu breezed to a dominant finish, extending her best run at this tournament as her clay-court form continues to improve.

Raducanu, ranked No 49, will face American Coco Gauff, the No 4 seed, next.

Earlier in the tournament, Emma Raducanu beat Australian qualifier Maya Joint (7-5, 6-7 (1), 6-3) and Swiss lucky loser Jil Teichmann (6-2, 6-2).

Kudermetova, ranked No 50, defeated Italian wildcard Lucrezia Stefanini (7-5, 6-2) and American Amanda Anisimova, the No 15 seed (7-6 (5), 7-5) in the previous rounds of the Rome tournament.

Rome WTA 1000, other third-round results (Foro Italico, clay, EUR 6.009.593, most recent results first):

• Linda Noskova vs. Mirra Andreeva
• Magdalena Frech vs. Qinwen Zheng
• Emma Navarro vs. Clara Tauson
• Elena Rybakina vs. Bianca Andreescu: sunday
• Coco Gauff beat Magda Linette (32): 7-5, 6-3
• Marta Kostyuk beat Leylah Fernandez (24): 6-4, 6-2
• Aryna Sabalenka (1) beat Sofia Kenin (31): 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
• Elise Mertens (25) beat Jessica Pegula (3): 7-5, 6-1
• Naomi Osaka beat Marie Bouzkova: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
• Jelena Ostapenko vs. Laura Siegemund
• Jasmine Paolini (6) beat Ons Jabeur (27): 6-4, 6-3
• Elina Svitolina (16) beat Hailey Baptiste (Q): 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
• Danielle Collins (29) beat Iga Swiatek (2): 6-1, 7-5
• Diana Shnaider (13) beat Jaqueline Cristian: 6-3, 6-3
• Peyton Stearns beat Madison Keys (5): 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (3)